A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Byam family of England.
Reg. 1695 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
branchPeace, and new growth
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Vert, two branches of laurel in saltire betw. four pheons or”
SomersetSelworthy · Somerset, c. 1620
Where the Byam Arms Were Recorded
Somerset
Map of England showing where the Byam arms are recorded
The Byam arms were recorded in Somerset, c. 1620.
Somerset was rich farming country with a thick scattering of manor houses. Its gentry were numerous and long-settled, and a settled landed family almost always ended up with 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 Byam 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 Somerset.
Origin & History of the Byam Family in England
The Byam family name has deep roots in the English county of Somerset, where records confirm their presence as early as the year 1620. During this period, the family was well-established in the region, with members often serving as clergy within the Church of England. The name itself is thought to be locational in origin, likely derived from a small settlement or a specific homestead that existed in the West Country long before the seventeenth century. As the family grew in prominence, they became deeply involved in both local administration and the broader colonial expansion of the British Empire. By the mid-1600s, several members of the Byam family migrated to the Caribbean, particularly to the island of Antigua, where they played a significant role in the development of the sugar industry and local governance. This transition from Somerset landowners to influential figures in the Atlantic world highlights the family's adaptability and their long-standing connection to the shifting political landscape of the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Býr
Old Norse term for a farmstead, settlement, or village.
This name
ByamDerived from a locative name referring to someone who lived at or near a farmstead.
also spelled
Byham
Biam
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Oliver, Vere Langford, The History of the Island of Antigua, one of the Leeward Caribbees in the West Indies, from the first settlement in 1635 to the present time, 1894
The National Archives, Kew, Colonial Office: Original Correspondence: Secretary of State: Leeward Islands, CO 152
Somerset Archives and Local Studies, Diocese of Bath and Wells: Bishop's Transcripts of Parish Registers, D\D\BT
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
branchPeace, and new growth
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
branchPeace, and new growth
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
