A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brockley family of England.
Reg. 0474 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Chequy or and vert, a chief ar”
EnglandLondon, c. 1433
Where the Brockley Arms Were Recorded
London
Map of England showing where the Brockley arms are recorded
The Brockley arms were recorded in London, c. 1433.
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.
Henry VI of England
Sovereign of the period
Henry VI of England
1422–1461
Reigning in England when the Brockley 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 Brockley Family in England
The family name Brockley is a locative surname, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place name rather than a trade or personal characteristic. Historical records confirm that members of the Brockley family were established in London by 1433, a period when surnames were becoming increasingly fixed as a way to track citizens for tax and legal purposes. The name itself likely comes from Old English roots, combining the words for a badger and a woodland clearing or meadow. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name lived near a recognizable landscape feature where badgers were commonly found. As these individuals moved into the growing city of London during the fifteenth century, they carried this geographic identifier with them, cementing it as a permanent family name that persisted through generations of urban life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
brocc and leah
Old English for badger and a woodland clearing or meadow.
This name
BrockleyA topographical surname referring to a clearing inhabited by badgers.
also spelled
Brockly
Brokley
Brokly
Related arms
Brokleyvariant 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, Early Chancery Proceedings, C 1/11/482 (Record of a legal petition involving a member of the Brockley family in London, 1433)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
