A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Byerley family of England.
Reg. 4583 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Or, a cross crosslet gu”
YorkshireYorkshire, c. 1620
Where the Byerley Arms Were Recorded
Yorkshire
Map of England showing where the Byerley arms are recorded
The Byerley arms were recorded in Yorkshire, c. 1620.
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 Byerley 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 Yorkshire.
Origin & History of the Byerley Family in England
The Byerley family name is rooted in the geography of northern England, specifically within the historic county of Yorkshire. The name is locational in origin, likely derived from the Old English words for a farmstead or clearing belonging to a person named Byrla. By the year 1620, the family was well established in this region, where they became prominent landowners and participants in local governance. During the seventeenth century, members of the family were deeply involved in the social and political life of the North Riding of Yorkshire. Their history is closely tied to the development of rural estates and the management of agricultural lands that supported the local economy. As the family grew, their influence expanded through marriage and their active roles in the regional administration of the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Byre-leah
Old English terms for a cowshed or barn and a woodland clearing.
This name
ByerleyA habitational name referring to someone who lived near a clearing by a cattle shed.
also spelled
Byerly
Byirley
Byerlie
Related arms
Byirleyvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Smith, A. H., The Place-Names of the North Riding of Yorkshire, 1928
North Yorkshire County Record Office, Quarter Sessions Records, 1605–1650
Surtees Society, The Publications of the Surtees Society, 1835
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
