A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Banyard family of England.
Reg. 2199 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Sa. a fesse betw. two chev. ar”
SuffolkHexal · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Banyard Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Banyard arms are recorded
The Banyard 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 Banyard 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 Banyard Family in England
The surname Banyard has deep roots in the English county of Suffolk, where families bearing the name were firmly established by the early seventeenth century. The name is generally considered to be locational in origin, likely derived from a specific place or a "banyard," which historically referred to an enclosed area for livestock or a yard attached to a barn. During the 1600s, families with this name were primarily engaged in agricultural life, contributing to the rural economy of East Anglia. As the region was a center for the cloth trade and farming, the Banyard family would have been part of the local community structure that defined village life in Suffolk long before the Great Migration to the American colonies. By 1620, the name was already well-integrated into the parish records of the area, reflecting a long-standing presence in the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
bana-geard
Old English for a bean enclosure or a bean garden.
This name
BanyardA topographic name for someone who lived near a field or enclosure where beans were cultivated.
also spelled
Baniard
Banyerd
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Smith, J.R., The Place-Names of Suffolk, 1975
Suffolk Archives, Parish Registers of Suffolk, 1600–1650
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
