A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Anstead family of England.
Reg. 7834 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Per fesse or and [?]”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Anstead Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Anstead arms are recorded
The Anstead arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Anstead arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Anstead Family in England
The surname Anstead is rooted in the landscape of northern England, with historical records confirming that members of the family were established in the city of York by 1620. The name is generally considered a locational or habitational surname, likely derived from an Old English place name that described a specific homestead or an enclosed piece of land. During the early seventeenth century, York was a bustling center of trade and religious activity, and families like the Ansteads were often part of the growing merchant or artisan classes that kept the city running. As the family settled into the region, they became part of the local social fabric, navigating the political and economic shifts of the Stuart era. By maintaining a presence in such a prominent historic city, the early Ansteads participated in the long-standing traditions of northern English life that helped shape the identity of the family for generations to come.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Arnsteinn
Old Norse elements meaning eagle and stone.
This name
AnsteadA locational or patronymic surname derived from the Old Norse personal name meaning eagle stone.
also spelled
Ansted
Ansteed
Anstede
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
