A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bishton family of England.
Reg. 1782 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
beeIndustry, order and tireless work
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Ar. a bend wavy sa. between six bees or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bishton Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bishton arms are recorded
The Bishton 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 Bishton 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 Bishton Family in England
The family name Bishton is a locational surname, which means it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a nickname. Historical records confirm that the family was well-established in the city of York by 1620, where they lived as part of the growing urban population during the early seventeenth century. The name itself is derived from the Old English words for a farmstead or settlement belonging to a person named Biscop. Over many generations, families living in or near these specific locations began to use the name to identify themselves to others in their community. As the family moved and expanded across England, the name traveled with them, eventually becoming a permanent marker of their ancestral history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Biscop-tun
Old English for bishop and enclosure or settlement.
This name
BishtonRefers to a settlement or farmstead belonging to a bishop.
also spelled
Byshton
Bishdon
Byschton
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
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
beeIndustry, order and tireless work
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
beeIndustry, order and tireless work
