A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bayeux family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Barry of six gu. and ar”
The Bayeux arms were recorded in Lincoln, c. 1139.
Lincolnshire was rich farming country, and its wealth was spread across many middling families. Households of that size bought land and took arms, and the county holds a large share of English names.
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.
Reigning in England when the Bayeux arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Bayeux originates from the historic city of Bayeux in the Normandy region of France. Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, many individuals from this area migrated across the English Channel to settle in their new territory. By the year 1139, records confirm that members of the family had established a significant presence in the city of Lincoln. During this period, families often adopted the names of their ancestral towns to distinguish themselves within the growing administrative and social structures of medieval England. The family likely held positions of local importance in Lincoln, as the city served as a major center for trade and governance under the Norman kings. Over time, the name evolved from a geographical identifier into a hereditary surname that linked the family to their continental roots while they integrated into the developing English society.
A Gaulish tribe inhabiting the region around modern-day Bayeux.
