A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Barfoot family of England.
Reg. 0410 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 chev. gu. betw. three pellets”
HantsMidlington Place · Hants, c. 1620
Where the Barfoot Arms Were Recorded
Hants
Map of England showing where the Barfoot arms are recorded
The Barfoot arms were recorded in Hants, c. 1620.
Hampshire had the naval dockyards at Portsmouth on one side and good farmland on the other. Sea money and land money both bought estates, and an estate was what brought a family its 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 Barfoot 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 Hants.
Origin & History of the Barfoot Family in England
The surname Barfoot is an ancient English name that likely originated as a descriptive nickname for a person who frequently walked without shoes. This could have referred to someone who lived in poverty, or perhaps a religious pilgrim who traveled barefoot as a sign of devotion. By the early seventeenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Hampshire. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Barfoot family were living in this region, where they were likely involved in local agriculture or trade. Over the following generations, the family name became firmly rooted in the local landscape, reflecting the common practice of naming individuals based on their personal habits or physical traits during the Middle Ages.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bare fot
Old English words meaning naked or uncovered foot.
This name
BarfootA descriptive nickname for a person who habitually went barefoot or wore no shoes.
also spelled
Barefoot
Barfote
Barefote
Related arms
Barefootvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Lower, Mark Antony, Patronymica Britannica: A Dictionary of the Family Names of the United Kingdom, 1860
Hampshire Archives and Local Studies, Bishop's Transcripts of Parish Registers, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
