A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brookes family of Britain.
Reg. 8677 · Britain, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à la croix engrêlée partie de gu. et de sa. C.: un chevalier, tenant de sa main dextre une lance et de sa sen. un bouclier.”
YorkshireYorkshire, c. 1676
Where the Brookes Arms Were Recorded
Yorkshire
Map of Britain showing where the Brookes arms are recorded
The Brookes arms were recorded in Yorkshire, c. 1676.
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 Britain in this period.
Charles II of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles II of England
1660–1685
Reigning in Britain when the Brookes arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Britain
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 Yorkshire.
Origin & History of the Brookes Family in Britain
The surname Brookes is a topographic name that originated in England during the Middle Ages. It was used to identify people who lived near a stream or a brook. By the year 1676, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the county of Yorkshire. During this period, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Brooks or Brooke, because spelling was not standardized until much later. Families with this name were typically part of the rural population and worked as farmers or tradespeople in the local villages. As the centuries passed, the family spread from these northern roots to other parts of Britain and eventually across the world. Their presence in Yorkshire during the seventeenth century highlights the deep connection the family has to the English landscape and the long history of naming people after the natural features of their homes.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
broc
Old English term for a brook or small stream.
This name
BrookesA topographical name for someone who lived near a small stream or brook.
also spelled
Brooks
Broke
Related arms
Brookevariant spelling
Brokevariant spelling
Brooksvariant spelling
Spertrecorded with Brookes, same area
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Quarter Sessions Records, 1676
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
