A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Baggs family of England.
Reg. 3368 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cinquefoilHope and joy
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Lozengy gu. and ar. on a chief of the second three cinquefoils of the first”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Baggs Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Baggs arms are recorded
The Baggs 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 Baggs 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 Baggs Family in England
The surname Baggs is classified as a patronymic name, which means it likely originated as a way to identify a person as the son or descendant of someone named Bagg. This name itself is thought to be a shortened version of older Germanic or Old Norse personal names, such as Baggi, which translates to a bag or a pack. By the time members of the family were documented in York in 1620, the name had already become a stable hereditary surname passed down through generations. During the early seventeenth century, families in northern England often lived in close-knit communities where names helped distinguish neighbors in growing urban centers. The presence of the Baggs family in York during this period suggests they were part of the established citizenry during a time of significant social and economic change in the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bagge
Old Norse term meaning a pack or a bundle.
This name
BaggsAn occupational name for a maker or seller of bags or a peddler.
also spelled
Bagge
Related arms
Baggevariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cinquefoilHope and joy
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cinquefoilHope and joy
