A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Billingham family of England.
Reg. 8084 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Az. three ducal crowns or, insides sa”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Billingham Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Billingham arms are recorded
The Billingham 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 Billingham 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 Billingham Family in England
The surname Billingham is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or personal characteristic. It is derived from the Old English words "Billing," which refers to the followers or family of a man named Billa, and "ham," which denotes a home or settlement. By the time the family was recorded in York in 1620, the name had already been established in northern England for several centuries. Families with this name were often associated with the agricultural and merchant classes, moving from rural villages into growing urban centers like York to seek new economic opportunities. Because the name is tied to a geographic location, it suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely landowners or prominent residents of a place called Billingham before the family began to spread across the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Billing
The people or followers of a man named Billa.
This name
BillinghamA settlement or homestead belonging to the followers of Billa.
also spelled
Byllyngham
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, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
