A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Byles family of England.
Reg. 2906 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
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)
“Per bend sinister, embattled or and gu”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Byles Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Byles arms are recorded
The Byles 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 Byles 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 Byles Family in England
The surname Byles is an ancient English name that likely originated as a topographic descriptor for someone who lived near a specific landmark, such as a hill or a boundary marker. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the historic city of York. Records confirm that members of the Byles family were living in this region by 1620, a time when York served as a vital center for trade and religious life in Northern England. As the family grew, they integrated into the local community through various trades and civic roles, helping to shape the social fabric of the city during the turbulent years leading up to the English Civil War. Their early residency in such a prominent urban hub suggests that the family was well-connected to the economic and administrative developments of the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
bile
Old English term referring to a dweller by a ridge or hill.
This name
BylesA topographic surname for someone who lived near a steep ridge or a rounded hill.
also spelled
Biles
Bylls
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Collins, Arthur, The English Baronetage, 1741
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers, 1620
York City Archives, York House Books, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
