A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bilton family of England.
Reg. 5185 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Paly of four or and gu. a bend sa”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bilton Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bilton arms are recorded
The Bilton 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 Bilton 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 Bilton Family in England
The surname Bilton is a locational name, meaning it was originally taken from a place name to identify where a person lived or came from. In Old English, the name is derived from the words "bili," meaning a ridge or a hill, and "tun," which refers to an enclosed settlement or village. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Bilton family were well-established in the city of York. During this period, York was a major center for trade and religious life in Northern England. Families living in the city at that time were often involved in local guilds, crafts, or the growing merchant class that defined the region. Because the name is tied to specific geography, it is likely that the earliest ancestors of the family lived in one of the various villages named Bilton found across Yorkshire before moving into the city itself to seek new opportunities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bill
Old English word for a settlement or enclosure.
This name
BiltonRefers to a person who lived in a settlement or farmstead.
also spelled
Bylton
Byltone
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, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
