A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bostock family of England.
Reg. 9656 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
helmetWisdom and security in defence
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)
“Quarterly, 1st and 4th, sa. a helmet ar.; 2nd and 3rd, sa. a fesse humettée ar”
BerksAbingdon · Berks, c. 1620
Where the Bostock Arms Were Recorded
Berks
Map of England showing where the Bostock arms are recorded
The Bostock arms were recorded in Berks, c. 1620.
Berkshire sat on the road west from London with the royal castle at Windsor in the middle of it. Court families bought estates within reach, and an estate near the court almost always came with 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 Bostock 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 Berks.
Origin & History of the Bostock Family in England
The surname Bostock is of English origin and is derived from a place name in Cheshire. The name combines the Old English word for a tree stump, which is "bot," with the word "stoc," meaning a settlement or place. This suggests that the earliest members of the family likely lived near a cleared area of woodland. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Bostock family were well established in the county of Berkshire. During this period, families often moved from their ancestral regions to find new opportunities in growing agricultural or trade centers. As the family settled in Berkshire, they became part of the local community and contributed to the social and economic life of the region during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Botestoch
A combination of the Old English personal name Bote and stoc meaning place.
This name
BostockRefers to a specific settlement or homestead belonging to a person named Bote.
also spelled
Bostoke
Related arms
Bowstockvariant 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
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers, PROB 11
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
helmetWisdom and security in defence
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
helmetWisdom and security in defence
