A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Burry family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Quarterly, erm. and gu”
The Burry 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.
Reigning in England when the Burry arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Burry has deep roots in England, particularly within the historic city of York where members of the family were documented as early as 1620. The name is generally considered a topographical or locational surname, likely derived from the Old English word "burh," which referred to a fortified settlement, manor, or town. Families bearing this name often lived near or within these protected areas, which served as central hubs for trade and local government. Over time, the spelling evolved as the name was recorded by clerks who wrote it down based on how it sounded in local dialects. By the seventeenth century, individuals named Burry were established members of the community in York, participating in the daily life and social structures of one of England’s most significant northern cities.
A fortified place, town, or castle.
