A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cany 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)“Vair, three bars gu”
The Cany 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 Cany 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 family name Cany has deep roots in the historic city of York, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1620. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious life, and families like the Canys often played an active role in the local community. The name itself may have originated as a descriptive term or a location-based identifier, which was a common way for surnames to develop in medieval England. As the family established themselves in the region, they likely participated in the local economy, perhaps working as skilled tradespeople or merchants who helped shape the city’s character. By settling in such a prominent northern hub, the early Cany family became part of the long and complex history of Yorkshire, leaving behind a legacy that began in the shadow of York’s ancient stone walls.
Derived from the Old French word for a cane or reed.
