A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Beedham family of England.
Reg. 8979 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
ErmineMeans: Dignity
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)
“Az. on a chev. engr. erm. betw. three birds ar. beaked and legged gu. as many human hearts of the last”
HuntingdonAshfield · Huntingdon, c. 1620
Where the Beedham Arms Were Recorded
Huntingdon
Map of England showing where the Beedham arms are recorded
The Beedham arms were recorded in Huntingdon, c. 1620.
Huntingdonshire was small, flat fen-edge country. Drainage made new farmland and new fortunes, and families who gained by it bought manors and took arms to match.
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 Beedham 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 Huntingdon.
Origin & History of the Beedham Family in England
The surname Beedham is a locative name, which means it likely originated from a specific place name in England. Historical evidence confirms that members of the Beedham family were well-established in the town of Huntingdon by the year 1620. During the seventeenth century, families in this region were often involved in local trade, agriculture, or the wool industry, which served as the backbone of the English economy at the time. The name itself is thought to derive from Old English roots, possibly referring to a meadow or a homestead near a stream. Because surnames were still becoming standardized during this period, the spelling of the name often shifted in parish registers as clerks wrote down names based on how they sounded. By settling in Huntingdon, the early Beedhams became part of a community that played a significant role in the political and social life of the English Midlands.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bede-ham
A settlement or homestead associated with a person named Beda.
This name
BeedhamDerived from an Old English locative name referring to a home or village belonging to Beda.
also spelled
Beedam
Related arms
Hovellrecorded with Beedham, same area
Smithrecorded with Beedham, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
