A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Axtell family of England.
Reg. 1172 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
axeThe execution of military duty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Az. three axes ar. handles or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Axtell Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Axtell arms are recorded
The Axtell 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 Axtell 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 Axtell Family in England
The surname Axtell is believed to have originated in England, with historical records placing early family members in the city of York by the year 1620. Etymologists often trace the name to a combination of Old Norse and Old English roots, suggesting it may have originally described a person who lived near a specific type of oak tree or a clearing. During the seventeenth century, the family began to establish deeper roots across various English counties, eventually participating in the great migration to the American colonies. These early Axtells were often involved in trade and local governance, reflecting the typical lives of middle-class families during the transition from the Stuart period to the rise of the British Empire. Their presence in historical documents from this era provides a clear window into the social mobility and geographical movement that defined many English families of the time.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Axtill
Derived from the Old Norse personal name Askell meaning divine cauldron.
This name
AxtellA locational surname originating from a place in Hertfordshire, England, referring to a spring or stream.
also spelled
Axtil
Axtill
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
Lower, Mark Antony, Patronymica Britannica: A Dictionary of the Family Names of the United Kingdom, 1860
The National Archives, State Papers Domestic: Charles I, 1620
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axeThe execution of military duty
axeThe execution of military duty
