A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blakey family of England.
Reg. 0254 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
vairProtection, and the winter fur
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
VairMeans: Protection
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)
“Gu. a chev. vair betw. two chevs. and three crosses crosslet fitchée or”
SuffolkHuntingfield · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Blakey Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Blakey arms are recorded
The Blakey arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1620.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of 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 Blakey 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 Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Blakey Family in England
The surname Blakey is rooted in the landscape of Northern England, likely originating as a topographical name for people who lived near a dark or black-colored ridge. The name is derived from the Old English words "blæc," meaning black, and "heah," meaning high or a ridge. While the family name has deep ties to the northern counties, records confirm that members of the Blakey family were well-established in Suffolk by 1620. During this period, the family lived as part of the local agrarian society, likely working as farmers or tradespeople in the quiet villages of East Anglia. As the seventeenth century progressed, the Blakeys became part of the broader migration patterns of the time, moving between rural parishes and growing market towns. Their presence in Suffolk during the early seventeenth century highlights how families often shifted across the English countryside to seek new opportunities in land and commerce.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Blaec
Old English term referring to the color black or dark.
This name
BlakeyA topographical or descriptive name for someone with a dark complexion or hair.
also spelled
Blackey
Blakie
Blaky
Related arms
Blakie, or Blackievariant spelling
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
The National Archives, Kew, Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
