A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brotherton family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 1768 · Britain, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à trois léopards d'or, l'un sur l'autre; au lambel d'arg., en chef (Branche cadette de la maison Plantagenet.)”
Britainc. 1700
Where the Brotherton Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of Britain showing where the Brotherton arms are recorded
The Brotherton arms were recorded in Britain, c. 1700.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Kent.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats 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 Britain in this period.
William III of England
Sovereign of the period
William III of England
1694–1702
Reigning in Britain when the Brotherton 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 Britain.
Origin & History of the Brotherton Family in Britain
The surname Brotherton is a locative name, meaning it originally identified people by the specific place where they lived. The name is derived from Old English roots, combining the word for a brother with the word for a farmstead or enclosure. While the name is famously associated with a village in North Yorkshire, families carrying this name spread across England over many centuries. By the year 1700, records confirm that members of the Brotherton family were well-established in the county of Kent. During this period, families in Kent were often deeply involved in the local agricultural economy or the growing trade networks connected to London and the coast. As these early ancestors moved through the English countryside, they helped carry the name from its northern origins into the southern regions of the country, marking the family as part of the broader movement of people across Britain during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Gu. three lions pass. guard. or, a label of five (another, three) points ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Brotherton Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Brotherton arms are recorded
The Brotherton 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 Britain when the Brotherton 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 Brotherton Family in England
The surname Brotherton originates from a locative source, meaning it was first used to identify people who hailed from a specific place. In England, the name is tied to the village of Brotherton in North Yorkshire, which sits near the River Aire. Historical records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the city of York by 1620, where they lived as part of the growing urban population during the early seventeenth century. Because the name is derived from the Old English words for "brother" and "town," it likely described a settlement belonging to a specific group of brothers or a kin-based community. Over time, as individuals moved away from their ancestral village to seek work or trade in larger centers like York, the name served as a permanent reminder of their geographic origins. This pattern of migration was common in medieval and early modern England, as surnames evolved from simple descriptions of where a person was born into permanent family identifiers that were passed down through generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Broth-tun
Old English for a settlement or enclosure near a brook.
This name
BrothertonRefers to a person who lived at a farmstead or village located by a stream.
also spelled
Brothertonn
Brothertone
Brothirton
Brothyrton
Related arms
Pasmorerecorded with Brotherton, 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, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
The National Archives, Parish registers for the county of Kent, series P
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labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
