A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bootle family of England.
Reg. 1989 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Sa. three mural crowns ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bootle Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bootle arms are recorded
The Bootle 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 Bootle 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 Bootle Family in England
The surname Bootle is primarily locational in origin, meaning it was likely adopted by families who lived in or near a place bearing that name. The name itself is derived from the Old English words "botl" and "bold," which translate to a dwelling, a house, or a village. By the time the family was firmly established in York in 1620, the name had already been in use for several centuries across northern England. During this period, families often moved from rural settlements into growing urban centers like York to find work in trade or local administration. As these individuals settled into city life, their name served as a permanent reminder of the ancestral lands or specific homesteads they left behind. The presence of the Bootle family in York during the early seventeenth century suggests they were part of the expanding middle class that helped shape the city’s social and economic landscape during the Stuart era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
botl
Old English term for a dwelling, house, or building.
This name
BootleRefers to a person who lived at or near a dwelling or settlement.
also spelled
Boutle
Buttle
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names. 1960
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M. A Dictionary of English Surnames. 1991
Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. Archbishop of York’s Diocesan Records: Parish Registers of York
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crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
