A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Burbidge family of England.
Reg. 0129 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
boarA fierce fighter who battles to the end
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Az. a boar pass. or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Burbidge Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Burbidge arms are recorded
The Burbidge 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 England when the Burbidge 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 Burbidge Family in England
The surname Burbidge is an ancient English name that likely originated as a topographical description of where a family lived. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words for a brook or stream and a bridge, suggesting that the earliest ancestors resided near a specific crossing point over a waterway. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Burbidge family were well-established in the historic city of York. During this period, families in northern England often held roles in local trade or agriculture, contributing to the growth of regional commerce. As the name spread through the English countryside, it evolved in spelling, yet it remained tied to the geography of the landscape that first defined the family’s home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Burh-bece
Old English for a fortified place and a beech tree.
This name
BurbidgeRefers to someone who lived near a beech tree by a fortified settlement.
also spelled
Burbage
Burbridge
Burbige
Related arms
Burbagevariant spelling
Burbridgevariant spelling
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
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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boarA fierce fighter who battles to the end
boarA fierce fighter who battles to the end
