A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bradway family of England.
Reg. 2573 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
Colours
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)
“Ar. a chev. betw. three bunches of grapes ppr”
GloucesterPotsclip · Gloucester, c. 1620
Where the Bradway Arms Were Recorded
Gloucester
Map of England showing where the Bradway arms are recorded
The Bradway arms were recorded in Gloucester, c. 1620.
Gloucestershire had good farmland, a cloth trade in its valleys and a river carrying goods to Bristol. All three made money, and money bought the estates that brought arms with them.
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 Bradway 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 Gloucester.
Origin & History of the Bradway Family in England
The surname Bradway is a locative name, meaning it originally identified people based on where they lived. It is derived from the Old English words "brad," meaning broad, and "weg," meaning way or path. This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent wide road or a significant trackway in the English countryside. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Bradway family were well-established in the county of Gloucestershire. During this period, the family was deeply connected to the local landscape and the agricultural life of the region. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the area, eventually participating in the migration patterns that saw many English families move across the Atlantic to seek new opportunities in the American colonies.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Brad-weg
Old English words for broad and way or path.
This name
BradwayA topographic name for someone who lived near a wide road or thoroughfare.
also spelled
Bradwey
Bradwye
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
Gloucestershire Archives, Diocese of Gloucester Records: Bishop's Transcripts, 1620
Cottle, Basil, The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames, 1967
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
