A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bennison family of England.
Reg. 2782 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Ar. a willow tree vert”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bennison Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bennison arms are recorded
The Bennison 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 Bennison 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 Bennison Family in England
The family name Bennison is a patronymic surname, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son of someone named Ben or Bennet. During the early seventeenth century, the name was firmly established in the historic city of York, where records confirm family members were living by 1620. At that time, York was a bustling center of trade and religion in Northern England, and families like the Bennisons often worked as skilled tradespeople or merchants within the city walls. Because the name evolved from a common nickname, it likely emerged independently in different parts of the country, though the Yorkshire branch remains one of the most prominent historical clusters. These early Bennisons would have navigated a society defined by the rigid social structures of the Stuart era, contributing to the local economy and the growth of their community through their daily labor and civic participation.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Benedictus
Latin for blessed or well spoken of.
This name
BennisonA patronymic surname meaning son of Ben, a shortened form of Benjamin or Benedict.
also spelled
Bennyson
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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treeLife, endurance and deep roots
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
