A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Backhouse family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's crossJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. au saut. d'herm.”
The Backhouse arms were recorded in Londres, c. 1700.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Kent.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats of 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 Britain in this period.
Reigning in Britain when the Backhouse arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Backhouse is a classic example of a locative name, meaning it was originally used to identify people by their occupation or their place of residence. In medieval Britain, a "backhouse" was a common term for a bakehouse, which was a separate building situated behind a main dwelling where bread was prepared. Families who took this name were likely the local bakers or people who lived near the village communal oven. By the time the name became established in Kent around 1700, it had already spread across various parts of England as a way to distinguish individuals in growing communities. Because the name is rooted in a daily necessity of life, it reflects the practical and humble origins of many working families who helped build the local economy in the English countryside.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's crossSir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Per saltire or and az. a saltire erm”
The Backhouse arms were recorded in Durham, c. 1620.
Durham was governed by its bishop rather than the crown for most of its history, with its own courts and its own landed class. That separate world produced a tight group of families, nearly all of whom held 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.
Reigning in Britain when the Backhouse arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Backhouse is a locative name, meaning it originally described where a person lived or worked. In medieval England, a backhouse was a common term for a bakehouse, which was a separate building used for baking bread away from the main living quarters to reduce the risk of fire. Families who took this name were often associated with the trade of baking or lived near a prominent communal oven in their village. By the year 1620, records confirm that the Backhouse family had established a strong presence in the County of Durham. During this period, the family was deeply integrated into the local economy and social fabric of Northern England. Many members of the family were involved in the burgeoning industries of the region, including coal mining and local commerce, which helped them grow in influence over the following centuries.
Old English for stream or ridge and a dwelling or house.
