A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bedingfield family of England.
Reg. 8319 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
ErmineMeans: Dignity
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)
“Erm. an eagle displ. gu”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bedingfield Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bedingfield arms are recorded
The Bedingfield 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 Bedingfield 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 Bedingfield Family in England
The surname Bedingfield originates from a place name in Suffolk, England, where the family established their roots long before moving north. The name itself describes an open field belonging to a person named Beda, which was a common way to identify families in the Middle Ages. By the year 1620, members of the family had settled in the city of York, which was a major hub for trade and administration in Northern England at that time. This relocation suggests that the family was likely involved in the professional or merchant classes that helped the city thrive during the early seventeenth century. Their presence in York marks a significant shift from their rural origins to the busy urban life of a historic northern center.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Beding
The family or followers of a man named Beda.
This name
BedingfieldAn open land or field belonging to the followers of Beda.
also spelled
Bedingfeld
Bedingfelde
Related arms
Bedingfeldvariant 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, 1991
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records
The National Archives, State Papers Domestic, James I
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
