A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Attwood family of England.
Reg. 7152 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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. semée of acorns a lion ramp. ar”
GloucesterStoke Bishop · Gloucester, c. 1623
Where the Attwood Arms Were Recorded
Gloucester
Map of England showing where the Attwood arms are recorded
The Attwood arms were recorded in Gloucester, c. 1623.
Gloucestershire had good farmland, a cloth trade in its valleys and a river carrying goods to Bristol. All three made money, and money bought the estates that brought arms with them.
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 Attwood 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 Gloucester.
Origin & History of the Attwood Family in England
The surname Attwood is a classic example of a topographic name, which means it was originally given to people based on where they lived. In Middle English, the name literally translates to "at the wood," identifying an individual who resided near a forest or a wooded area. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the English county of Gloucestershire. Records from the 1623 Visitation of Gloucestershire confirm that members of the Attwood family were well-settled in the region by this time. During this era, families often took their surnames from the local landscape to distinguish themselves from neighbors in small rural communities. This practice helped track lineage and property ownership as families grew and moved across the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Atte Wode
Middle English phrase meaning at the wood.
This name
AttwoodA topographic name for someone who lived near a forest or wooded area.
also spelled
Attwode
Related arms
Hancocksrecorded with Attwood, same area
Lippincotrecorded with Attwood, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Chitty, Henry and John Phillipot, The Visitation of the County of Gloucester, Taken in the Year 1623, 1885
Reaney, Percy H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
The National Archives, Records of the College of Arms, Series reference: G 9
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
lionCourage, strength and royalty
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
