A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Badley family of England.
Reg. 8649 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Sa. a chev. engr. betw. three swans ar”
SuffolkSuffolk, c. 1620
Where the Badley Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Badley arms are recorded
The Badley arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1620.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat 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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Badley 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 Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Badley Family in England
The surname Badley is a locative name, which means it likely originated from a specific place or geographical feature where the earliest family members lived. Historical records confirm that the Badley family was well established in the county of Suffolk by the year 1620. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words for a clearing or a meadow belonging to a person named Badda. During the early seventeenth century, families with this name were typically involved in local agriculture and trade within the rural landscape of East Anglia. As the family grew, they became deeply rooted in the social and economic life of Suffolk villages, often appearing in parish registers that tracked births, marriages, and deaths. This consistent presence in the region suggests that the Badleys were a stable part of the local community long before the waves of migration that later spread the name across the globe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bada
An Old English personal name derived from the word for battle.
This name
BadleyA meadow or clearing associated with a person named Bada.
also spelled
Baddeley
Badeley
Related arms
Baddeley, or Badleyvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Suffolk Archives, Parish registers for the Archdeaconry of Suffolk, 1600–1650
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
