A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Barden family of England.
Reg. 9467 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 betw. three crescents az”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Barden Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Barden arms are recorded
The Barden 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 Barden 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 Barden Family in England
The surname Barden is a locative name, meaning it was originally used to identify people by the specific place where they lived. It is derived from Old English roots, likely combining the word for a barley field with the word for a valley or a hill. By the early seventeenth century, members of the Barden family were firmly established in the historic city of York. During this period, York was a major center for trade and religious life in Northern England. Families like the Bardens often worked as skilled tradespeople or merchants who helped keep the city’s economy running. Living in such a prominent urban hub suggests that these early ancestors were well-integrated into the social and professional fabric of the region long before many families began to migrate further across the country.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Beorg
Old English term for a hill, mound, or mountain.
This name
BardenDerived from a dweller at a barley valley or a hill pasture.
also spelled
Bardon
Bardin
Bardyn
Related arms
Bardinvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
