A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bawdrip family of England.
Reg. 9934 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Gu. three swans ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bawdrip Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bawdrip arms are recorded
The Bawdrip 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 Bawdrip 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 Bawdrip Family in England
The surname Bawdrip is a locational name that originated from the village of Bawdrip in Somerset, England. People who moved away from this specific parish often adopted the village name to identify their place of origin to others. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the family had established a presence in the city of York. During this period, families frequently migrated toward major urban centers like York to find new economic opportunities in trade and craftsmanship. As the family settled into these northern regions, they helped carry the name far from its original southwestern roots. This movement reflects the broader patterns of internal migration that shaped English society during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Baldric
Derived from the Germanic elements for bold and ruler.
This name
BawdripA locational surname originating from a place in Somerset, England, meaning the settlement of Baldric.
also spelled
Bawdriffe
Bawdry
Bawdrey
Related arms
Bawdriffevariant spelling
Bawdryvariant spelling
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
Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. Archbishop of York Probate Records
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
