A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blossom family of England.
Reg. 6358 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
wyvernValour and protection, and victory over the plague
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Az. three wiverns displ. erm”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Blossom Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Blossom arms are recorded
The Blossom 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 Blossom 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 Blossom Family in England
The surname Blossom is an ancient English occupational or descriptive name that likely originated from a nickname for a person with a bright or cheerful personality. By the early seventeenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the city of York. Records from this period show that members of the Blossom family were active participants in the social and religious transitions of the time. One of the most significant moments in their history occurred in 1620 when Thomas Blossom, a prominent member of the family, played a key role in the preparations for the voyage of the Mayflower. Although he did not complete the journey on that specific ship, he eventually traveled to the Plymouth Colony in 1629 to help build a new life in America. This migration highlights the family's involvement in the historical movement of English settlers who sought to establish new communities across the Atlantic.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Blostma
Old English word referring to a flower or a blossom.
This name
BlossomA topographic or occupational name for someone who lived near a flowering tree or a gardener.
also spelled
Blossum
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Banks, Charles Edward, The English Ancestry and Homes of the Pilgrim Fathers, 1929
Plymouth Colony Archive Project, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, 1620–1692
Stratton, Eugene Aubrey, Plymouth Colony: Its History and People, 1620–1691, 1986
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
wyvernValour and protection, and victory over the plague
wyvernValour and protection, and victory over the plague
