A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Aswell family of England.
Reg. 8911 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 pale ar. and sa. three leopards' heads in pale counterchanged”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Aswell Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Aswell arms are recorded
The Aswell 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 Aswell 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 Aswell Family in England
The family name Aswell is rooted in the historic city of York, England, where members of the family were documented as early as 1620. During this period, York served as a major northern hub for trade and religious life, and families living there were often connected to the local guilds or the agricultural lands surrounding the city walls. The name itself likely evolved from a geographical description, as it combines elements that suggest a residence near a specific spring or a well. Because surnames in the seventeenth century were often recorded phonetically by clerks, the spelling likely shifted over time as the family moved through different parishes. By establishing themselves in a city as old as York, the early Aswell family lived through a time of significant social change in England, eventually contributing to the cultural tapestry of the region before some branches of the family later migrated across the Atlantic.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Aescwielle
Old English for ash tree and spring or stream.
This name
AswellRefers to a person who lived near a spring or stream bordered by ash trees.
also spelled
Aswele
Aswill
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
York City Archives, York City Chamberlains' Accounts, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
lionCourage, strength and royalty
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
lionCourage, strength and royalty
