A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Batley family of England.
Reg. 7582 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
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. three torteaux a chief gu”
YorkshireYorkshire, c. 1620
Where the Batley Arms Were Recorded
Yorkshire
Map of England showing where the Batley arms are recorded
The Batley arms were recorded in Yorkshire, c. 1620.
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 Batley 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 Yorkshire.
Origin & History of the Batley Family in England
The surname Batley is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from the town of Batley in West Yorkshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Bateleia." The name itself likely comes from the Old English words "bata," a personal name, and "leah," which refers to a forest clearing or a meadow. By the time members of the family were documented in Yorkshire during the early 1600s, the name had been established for centuries as a way to identify people who had migrated from that original settlement. These early families were often part of the local agrarian society, living in the rolling landscapes of the north where they worked the land and contributed to the growth of regional parishes. Because the name was tied to a geographic location, it served as a permanent link between the family and the history of their ancestral home in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bata + leah
A personal name of Germanic origin combined with a woodland clearing.
This name
BatleyRefers to a woodland clearing belonging to a person named Bata.
also spelled
Batly
Batteley
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
Mills, A.D., A Dictionary of English Place-Names, 1991
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Parish registers for the Diocese of Wakefield, 1620
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
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
