A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bambrough family of England.
Reg. 8061 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 pheon sa. on a chief of the second a lion pass. of the first”
SuffolkRendlesham · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Bambrough Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Bambrough arms are recorded
The Bambrough 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 Bambrough 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 Bambrough Family in England
The family name Bambrough is rooted in the landscape of medieval England, likely originating as a locational surname for people who lived near or hailed from the town of Bamburgh in Northumberland. While the name is tied to this northern stronghold, historical records confirm that members of the family had established a firm presence in the county of Suffolk by 1620. During this period, families often moved across the country in search of better farmland or new trade opportunities within the growing cloth industry of East Anglia. As the name traveled south, it became a distinct marker of the family’s heritage, linking their identity to both the rugged northern coast and the quiet, agricultural life of seventeenth-century Suffolk. This migration reflects the broader movement of English families during the early modern era, as they sought to build stable lives in new communities while maintaining the names that connected them to their ancestral origins.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bamburgh
Old English place name referring to a fortress or fortified settlement.
This name
BambroughDerived from a location in Northumberland, signifying someone who originated from the settlement of Bebba's fort.
also spelled
Bamborough
Bambrow
Related arms
Bambrowevariant spelling
Corrancerecorded with Bambrough, same area
Harmanrecorded with Bambrough, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
The National Archives, Probate records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11
Suffolk Archives, Archdeaconry of Suffolk wills and administrations, IC/AA1
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Redstone, V.B., Suffolk Manorial Families, 1906
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
lionCourage, strength and royalty
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
lionCourage, strength and royalty
