A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Billing family of England.
Reg. 8598 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
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)
“Ar. a cross (another, voided) betw. four crosses crosslet fitchée gu”
LancasterBillinge · Lancaster, c. 1620
Where the Billing Arms Were Recorded
Lancaster
Map of England showing where the Billing arms are recorded
The Billing arms were recorded in Lancaster, c. 1620.
Lancashire was divided among a great many small landed families, more than most northern counties. Estates were passed down whole rather than split up, so the same names hold the same ground for centuries in the 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 Billing 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 Lancaster.
Origin & History of the Billing Family in England
The surname Billing is of ancient English origin and is primarily classified as a locative name, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place. It is believed to have evolved from the Old English word "billing," which refers to the descendants or followers of a person named Billa. By the time the family established a presence in Lancaster around 1620, the name had already been recorded in various parts of England for several centuries. During the seventeenth century, families with this name were often associated with local trade and land management in the northern counties. As the family settled in the Lancaster area, they became part of the growing social fabric of the region during a period of significant migration and economic change. The name serves as a historical marker of a lineage that moved from small, localized settlements into the developing towns of early modern England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bill
Old English personal name derived from the Germanic word for sword.
This name
BillingRefers to the descendants or people belonging to the family of Bill.
also spelled
Byllyng
Bylling
Byllinges
Related arms
Byllingvariant spelling
Byllingesvariant spelling
Edmondsrecorded with Billing, same area
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, 1958
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Lancashire Archives, Lancaster Parish Registers: Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1620
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
