A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Arden family of England.
Reg. 6722 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Gu. a chief or, thereon a label of three points az”
NorthamptonWatford · Northampton, c. 1620
Where the Arden Arms Were Recorded
Northampton
Map of England showing where the Arden arms are recorded
The Arden arms were recorded in Northampton, c. 1620.
Northamptonshire was grazing and hunting country in the middle of England, thick with manor houses. Its families were numerous and long-settled, and a settled landed family almost always ended up with 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 Arden 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 Northampton.
Origin & History of the Arden Family in England
The name Arden is a locational surname that originated in England, derived from the ancient Celtic word for a high or forested area. Families carrying this name often traced their roots back to the vast Forest of Arden in Warwickshire, which served as a significant geographical landmark during the Middle Ages. By the early 17th century, members of the family had established themselves in Northampton, a town with a long history as a center for trade and local government. These early settlers were part of a period of transition in English society, as families began to move away from their ancestral rural lands to seek new opportunities in growing market towns. The presence of the Arden name in Northampton by 1620 suggests that the family was well-integrated into the regional economy and social structure of the East Midlands during the reign of King James I.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Arduenna
A Celtic word meaning high or elevated forest.
This name
ArdenDerived from a place name referring to a valley of the high forest.
also spelled
Ardene
Ardenn
Arde
Ardein
Ardeyn
Related arms
Ardanvariant spelling
Ardonvariant spelling
Ardynvariant spelling
Briquettrecorded with Arden, same area
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
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
