A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bechton family of England.
Reg. 1764 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Az. three escutcheons or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bechton Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bechton arms are recorded
The Bechton 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 Bechton 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 Bechton Family in England
The surname Bechton carries a deep connection to the historic city of York, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1620. During the early seventeenth century, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, placing the Bechton family at the center of a bustling urban environment. The name itself likely originated as a locative surname, which was a common practice in medieval England where families were identified by the specific village or geographic feature where they lived. Given the linguistic patterns of the region, the name suggests a family with roots in a "ton" or settlement near a stream or a beech tree grove. As the family navigated life in York, they were part of a period defined by significant social change and the expansion of local commerce. By documenting their presence in the city during this era, we gain a clear window into the lives of early ancestors who helped shape the local community long before the modern age.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bece
Old English personal name meaning dweller or inhabitant.
This name
BechtonRefers to a settlement or farmstead located near a stream or brook.
also spelled
Bechtyn
Bechtyne
Related arms
Betchtonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
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escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
