Map of England showing where the Bentley arms are recorded
The Bentley arms were recorded in Derby, c. 1620.
Derbyshire had lead mines in its hills and good grazing in its valleys. Both made steady money, and families who made it bought manors, which is what put their names into the heraldic records.
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 Bentley 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 Derby.
Origin & History of the Bentley Family in England
The surname Bentley is of locative origin, meaning it was originally taken from a specific place name rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. The name is derived from the Old English words "beonet," which refers to a type of coarse grass, and "leah," which describes a clearing or a meadow. Therefore, the name originally identified someone who lived near a grassy clearing. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in Derby, where they were integrated into the local community. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Bentley family were active in this region during a time of significant social and economic change in England. As the family grew, they moved through various English counties, but their early roots in the Midlands remain a defining part of their historical identity.
Bentley Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Beonet and leah
Old English terms for bent grass and a woodland clearing.
This name
BentleyA habitational name referring to a clearing covered in bent grass.
also spelled
Benteley
Bentlay
Bentlie
Related arms
Benteleyvariant spelling
Bentletvariant spelling
Dalerecorded with Bentley, same area
Muschamprecorded with Bentley, same area
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
Derbyshire Record Office, Derby St Alkmund's Parish Registers, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
