A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bafna family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Sa. an escutcheon erm”
The Bafna 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.
Reigning in England when the Bafna 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 history of the Bafna name is deeply rooted in the social and economic shifts of early seventeenth-century England. Records confirm that members of the family were established in the city of York by 1620, a time when the region was a bustling hub for trade and craftsmanship. During this period, families often settled in urban centers to take advantage of the growing guild systems and local markets. The name itself likely emerged from the linguistic patterns of the era, reflecting the distinct regional dialects spoken in Northern England. As the family integrated into the local community, they participated in the daily life of York, contributing to the city's development as a center for commerce and industry. By embedding themselves in the local parish records and trade networks, the early Bafna family helped shape the historical landscape of the city during a transformative time in English history.
A variant of the Old French term for a buffoon or jester.
