A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bamford family of England.
Reg. 1030 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 fesse engr. gu”
LancasterBamford · Lancaster, c. 1613
Where the Bamford Arms Were Recorded
Lancaster
Map of England showing where the Bamford arms are recorded
The Bamford arms were recorded in Lancaster, c. 1613.
Lancashire was divided among a great many small landed families, more than most northern counties. Estates were passed down whole rather than split up, so the same names hold the same ground for centuries in the records.
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 Bamford 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 Lancaster.
Origin & History of the Bamford Family in England
The surname Bamford is a locational name that originated in England, specifically referring to people who lived near a river crossing surrounded by trees. The name is derived from the Old English words "beam," meaning tree, and "ford," meaning a shallow place to cross a river. By the early 17th century, members of the Bamford family were well-established in the county of Lancaster. Records from 1613 confirm their presence in this region, where they likely worked as farmers or tradespeople in the growing local communities. Over time, families with this name spread from these northern roots to other parts of the country, carrying the history of their ancestral landscape with them through the generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Beam-ford
A river crossing marked by a tree or wooden beam.
This name
BamfordRefers to a person who lived near a fordable river crossing associated with a tree or wooden structure.
also spelled
Bamforth
Bamfurd
Related arms
Bamforthvariant spelling
Banford, or Baumfordvariant spelling
Baumford, or Baunfordvariant spelling
Daveneyrecorded with Bamford, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names. 1960
Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
Lancashire Archives, Bishop's Transcripts of Parish Registers, 1613
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
