A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the By family of England.
Reg. 3228 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
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. on a bend or, three fleurs-de-lis of the field”
SussexShernfold Park · Sussex, c. 1620
Where the By Arms Were Recorded
Sussex
Map of England showing where the By arms are recorded
The By arms were recorded in Sussex, c. 1620.
Sussex had ironworks in its woods and good farmland on its downs. Both made money, and families who made it bought manors, which is what put their names in the heraldic records.
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 By 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 Sussex.
Origin & History of the By Family in England
The surname By is a short and distinctive name that likely originated as a topographic descriptor for people living near a specific landmark. In Old English and Old Norse, the term often referred to a farmstead, a village, or a settlement. Families carrying this name were established in the county of Sussex by at least 1620, suggesting they were deeply rooted in the rural landscape of southern England during the early seventeenth century. Because the name is so brief, it was often recorded in local parish registers and tax documents as families moved between small agricultural communities. These early members of the By family were likely yeomen or tenant farmers who contributed to the local economy of Sussex through trade and land cultivation. Over time, the name persisted through generations, maintaining its connection to the regional history of the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
byr
Old Norse term for a farmstead, village, or settlement.
This name
ByA topographic name for someone who lived near or in a village or farmstead.
also spelled
Bie
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
The National Archives, Probate records of the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Chichester, 1620
West Sussex Record Office, Parish registers of Sussex, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
