A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blomfield family of England.
Reg. 1561 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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. a lion pass. guard. ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Blomfield Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Blomfield arms are recorded
The Blomfield 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 Blomfield 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 Blomfield Family in England
The surname Blomfield is of English origin and is generally considered a locative name, meaning it was likely derived from a specific place or a description of a piece of land. The name is composed of two Old English elements: "blom," referring to a flower or a bloom, and "feld," which describes an open field or pasture. Families bearing this name were well-established in the city of York by 1620, where they lived as part of the growing urban population during the early seventeenth century. At this time, the city was a major center for trade and religious life, and families like the Blomfields often participated in the local guilds or merchant networks that defined the economy of Northern England. Because the name is tied to the landscape, it suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely farmers or landowners who eventually moved into the city to seek new opportunities in commerce and craftsmanship.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Blome and Feld
Old English words for flower or bloom and open land.
This name
BlomfieldAn inhabitant of a field or clearing where flowers grow.
also spelled
Blomfeild
Blumfield
Blomefield
Related arms
Blomefieldvariant spelling
Bloumfieldvariant spelling
Blounfeld, or Broumfieldvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York Freemen’s Register, 1620
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
