A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blatchford family of England.
Reg. 4884 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
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. two bars wavy or, on a chief of the last three pheons of the first”
EnglandOsborne, c. 1620
Where the Blatchford Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Blatchford arms are recorded
The Blatchford arms were recorded in Osborne, 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 Blatchford 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 Blatchford Family in England
The surname Blatchford is of English origin and is traditionally classified as a locative name, meaning it was derived from a specific place. The name is composed of the Old English words "blæc," meaning black, and "ford," meaning a shallow river crossing. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to adopt the name likely lived near a dark-colored stream or a crossing point with muddy, shadowed banks. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Blatchford family were well-established in the city of York. During this period, families often took their surnames from the geography of their local surroundings, which helped neighbors identify them as the people living by the dark ford. Over the following centuries, the family spread from these regional roots, carrying the name across England and eventually to other parts of the world.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Blaec and Ford
Black or dark-colored and a shallow river crossing.
This name
BlatchfordRefers to a person who lived near a dark-colored river crossing.
also spelled
Blatchforth
Blachford
Related arms
Blachfordvariant 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
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1936
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, Archbishop of York Diocesan Records, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
