A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bloss family of England.
Reg. 0328 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
ErmineMeans: Dignity
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. three dragons pass. in pale erm. a crescent for diff”
SuffolkIpswich · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Bloss Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Bloss arms are recorded
The Bloss 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 Bloss 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 Bloss Family in England
The family name Bloss has deep roots in the English county of Suffolk, where records confirm members of the family were established by the early seventeenth century. The name is believed to be a descriptive surname, likely originating from a Middle English term used to describe a person with a blooming or healthy complexion. During the 1600s, families with this name were often involved in the agricultural life of East Anglia, working the fertile lands that defined the region. As the century progressed, some individuals bearing the name sought new opportunities across the Atlantic, contributing to the early migration patterns that shaped colonial society. By maintaining a presence in Suffolk for generations, the Bloss family became a small but steady part of the local history of the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Blostma
Old English term referring to a flower or blossom.
This name
BlossA topographic name for someone who lived near a flowering tree or orchard.
also spelled
Blossett
Bloe
Related arms
Bloevariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
