A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Aven family of England.
Reg. 8483 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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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. three chev. ar”
GloucestershireGloucestershire, c. 1620
Where the Aven Arms Were Recorded
Gloucestershire
Map of England showing where the Aven arms are recorded
The Aven arms were recorded in Gloucestershire, c. 1620.
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 Aven 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 Gloucestershire.
Origin & History of the Aven Family in England
The family name Aven has deep roots in the English county of Gloucestershire, where records confirm members of the family were well-established by the year 1620. During this period, the region was a bustling center for the wool trade and agriculture, which likely shaped the daily lives and occupations of early Aven ancestors. The name itself is thought to be topographical in origin, potentially derived from Old English or Norman-French influences that described people living near a river or a specific valley. As the family grew within the rural parishes of the Cotswolds, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the development of their community through farming and trade. By the early seventeenth century, the Aven name was already a fixture of the local landscape, representing a lineage that had integrated into the quiet, agrarian life of western England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Avena
Latin term referring to oats or a field of oats.
This name
AvenA topographic name for someone who lived near an oat field or a grower of oats.
also spelled
Avan
Avon
Related arms
Avanvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Gloucestershire Archives, Diocese of Gloucester Records, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1620
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