A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Atton family of England.
Reg. 6891 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Or, a cross gu. (another, sa.)”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Atton Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Atton arms are recorded
The Atton 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 Atton 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 Atton Family in England
The surname Atton is a locative name, which means it was originally used to describe someone who lived near a specific landmark or town. In Middle English, the prefix "at" combined with "ton," a word meaning an enclosed settlement or village, suggests that the earliest members of the family were identified by their residence at a particular town. By the year 1620, historical records confirm that the Atton family was well-established in the city of York. During this period, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, and families living there were often involved in the local craft guilds or the merchant classes that defined the city’s economy. The persistence of the name in parish registers from the early seventeenth century indicates that the Attons were a settled part of the local community, contributing to the social and civic life of the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Atten
Derived from the Middle English phrase at the town or enclosure.
This name
AttonA topographic name for someone who lived near a town or a specific enclosed settlement.
also spelled
Atone
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., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Archives: Parish Registers of York, 1620
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
