A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bentham family of England.
Reg. 1276 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Quarterly, ar. and gu. a cross flory counter-changed; in the 1st and 4th quarters a rose of the second seeded or, barbed vert, in the 2nd and 3rd a sun or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bentham Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bentham arms are recorded
The Bentham 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 Bentham 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 Bentham Family in England
The surname Bentham is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from the village of Bentham in North Yorkshire, which sits near the border of Lancashire. The name itself comes from Old English words meaning a place where bent grass grows near a homestead. By the early 17th century, members of the family were well-established in the city of York, where they participated in the local social and economic life of the region. As families moved away from their original ancestral lands, they often kept the name of their home village to identify their origins to others. This practice helped the name spread throughout Northern England as the family members took on new roles in trade and civic administration during the 1600s.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Beonet-ham
Old English for bent grass and a homestead or enclosure.
This name
BenthamRefers to a person who lived near a meadow or enclosure covered in bent grass.
also spelled
Benthamme
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names. 1960
Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. Probate Records of the Diocese of York
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
