A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Badlesmere family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 1434 · Britain, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à une fasce de gu., doublement coticée du même. C.: une patte de lion de sa., tenant une branche de laurier de sin.”
KentKent, c. 1338
Where the Badlesmere Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of Britain showing where the Badlesmere arms are recorded
The Badlesmere arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1338.
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.
Edward III of England
Sovereign of the period
Edward III of England
1327–1377
Reigning in Britain when the Badlesmere arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Britain
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 Kent.
Origin & History of the Badlesmere Family in Britain
The family name Badlesmere originates from the village of Badlesmere in the county of Kent. During the medieval period, families often took their surnames from the specific lands they held or the villages where they resided. By the early fourteenth century, the family had risen to a position of significant influence within the English nobility. Records confirm that members of the family were active in Kent by 1338, managing estates and participating in the regional governance of the time. Their presence in this area was tied to the manor of Badlesmere, which served as the ancestral seat for the family line. As the family grew in power, they became deeply involved in the political struggles of the era, frequently interacting with the royal court and the administrative systems of the English crown.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Ar. a fesse betw. two bars gemelles gu”
Englandc. 1309
Where the Badlesmere Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Badlesmere arms are recorded
The Badlesmere arms were recorded in England, c. 1309.
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.
Edward II of England
Sovereign of the period
Edward II of England
1307–1327
Reigning in Britain when the Badlesmere 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 Badlesmere Family in England
The family name Badlesmere originates from the village of Badlesmere in Kent, where the family established their primary seat during the medieval period. By the early fourteenth century, members of the family had expanded their influence well beyond their ancestral lands in the south. Historical records confirm their presence in York by 1309, suggesting that the family held significant administrative or military roles that required them to travel to the northern reaches of England. During this era, the Badlesmeres were deeply integrated into the political life of the kingdom, often serving the crown in various official capacities. Their movement from a small Kentish village to the major urban centers of the north highlights the family's rise in status and their active participation in the governance of medieval England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Badeles-mere
A boundary pool or lake belonging to a man named Badel.
This name
BadlesmereRefers to a person originating from the settlement near the lake of Badel in Kent.
also spelled
Badlesmeer
Badlesmer
Badlesmar
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Cokayne, George Edward, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant, 1910
Hasted, Edward, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, 1798
The National Archives, Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, C 135
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
