Map of England showing where the Baldwin arms are recorded
The Baldwin arms were recorded in Salop, c. 1620.
Shropshire lay on the Welsh border, and border country needed men who could fight. Families held their land in return for service, and service in arms is what a coat of arms was originally for.
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 Baldwin 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 Salop.
Origin & History of the Baldwin Family in England
The name Baldwin originates from the Old Germanic personal name Baldewin, which combines the elements for bold and friend. It became popular across Europe following the influence of the Counts of Flanders, who held the name during the Middle Ages. By the time the family was established in the county of Salop, also known as Shropshire, in 1620, the name had transitioned from a given name to a hereditary surname. Families in this region often lived as landed gentry or prosperous farmers, deeply rooted in the local community. The presence of the Baldwin name in Salop records during the early seventeenth century reflects a long history of settlement in the English West Midlands, where the family maintained a consistent social and regional identity for generations.
Baldwin Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Baldwinus
Derived from Germanic elements meaning bold friend or brave friend.
This name
BaldwinA name of Germanic origin signifying a courageous or bold friend.
also spelled
Baldwyn
Baldwynn
Baldewin
Related arms
Baldwynvariant spelling
Baudwynvariant spelling
Bawdewyn, or Bawdwenvariant spelling
Bawdwenvariant 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
Shropshire Archives, Quarter Sessions Records: Recognizances and Indictments, 1620
Lower, Mark Antony, Patronymica Britannica: A Dictionary of the Family Names of the United Kingdom, 1860
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saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
