A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bisher family of England.
Reg. 4962 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Vairé ar. and gu. on a canton or, a buck's head cabossed sa”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bisher Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bisher arms are recorded
The Bisher 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 Bisher 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 Bisher Family in England
The Bisher family name carries a history rooted in the social and economic landscape of seventeenth-century England. Records confirm that members of the family were established in the historic city of York by 1620, a time when the region was a bustling hub of trade and religious transition. The name likely originated as a descriptive occupational surname, as was common during the Middle Ages, potentially derived from the Middle English term for a person who worked with fish or managed a fishery. As these early ancestors navigated life in York, they were part of a growing urban population that relied on the city's proximity to the River Ouse for commerce and daily survival. Over the generations, the family transitioned from these early roots into the broader fabric of English society, eventually spreading across different regions as trade routes and migration patterns shifted.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Biscop
Old English term for a bishop or high-ranking church official.
This name
BisherAn occupational surname originally denoting a servant or associate of a bishop.
also spelled
Bysher
Bysshere
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York City Chamberlains' Account Rolls, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
