Art Coat of Arms Record & History

A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Art family of England.

Reg. 8095 · English, A–C

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Where the Art Arms Were Recorded

Kent
Map of England showing where the Art arms are recorded

The Art arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1620.

Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats of 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.

Region
Kent
Town
Greenwich
First recorded
1620

Granting Authority for the Art Arms

Arms of College of Arms
College of Arms Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
Authority

College of Arms

1484-present

The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.

Portrait of James VI and I
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period

James VI and I

1603–1625

Reigning in England when the Art 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 Kent.

Origin & History of the Art Family in England

The family name Art has deep roots in the historical landscape of Kent, England, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1620. During this period, the region was a bustling center of agricultural and maritime activity, and families like the Arts often played essential roles in the local parish communities. The name itself likely evolved from older linguistic traditions, possibly serving as a shortened form of names like Arthur or acting as a descriptive nickname for a person known for their skill or craft. As residents of Kent, these early family members lived through a time of significant social change, participating in the daily life of English villages while contributing to the local economy through farming or trade. Their presence in the historical records of the early seventeenth century highlights a long-standing connection to the English countryside, marking the start of a lineage that has persisted for centuries.

Related Branches & Arms

Root word
Artos

A Celtic or Proto-Indo-European word meaning bear.

This name
ArtA diminutive form of Arthur, signifying noble strength or bear-like courage.
also spelled
Arthe
Related arms
Ballardrecorded with Art, same area
Caderecorded with Art, same area
Gregoryrecorded with Art, same area
Maskelynerecorded with Art, same area

Documented Sources

Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884

Everitt, Alan, Continuity and Colonization: The Evolution of Kentish Settlement, 1986

Kent Archives, Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury Probate Records, PRC 17

The National Archives, State Papers Domestic, James I, SP 14

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