A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Caples family of Ireland.
Reg. 2257 · Irish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 moline sa”
Irelandc. 1645
Where the Caples Arms Were Recorded
Dublin
Map of Ireland showing where the Caples arms are recorded
The Caples arms were recorded in Ireland, c. 1645.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Dublin.
Dublin was the seat of government in Ireland and the place where grants were sought and recorded. Families with business at the castle or the courts settled nearby, and settling there put their arms on record.
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 Ireland in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in Ireland when the Caples arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Ireland
The Ulster King of Arms granted coats of arms to individuals who proved their social standing and good character. These symbols were typically inherited by all legitimate descendants of the original holder. If a family branch wanted a unique look, they could apply for a specific change to their design through the office to ensure their identity remained distinct.
Granting authority
The Ulster King of Arms acted as the official body that regulated and issued all coats of arms throughout Ireland.
How they got arms
Families obtained their arms through formal grants issued by the office after proving their eligibility and paying the required fees.
Where arms were recorded
All official grants were recorded in the registers held by the Ulster King of Arms starting from the year 1552.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Ireland.
Origin & History of the Caples Family in Ireland
The family name Caples has deep roots in Ireland, with historical records confirming the presence of family members in Dublin as early as 1645. During this period, Dublin was a bustling center of trade and political change, placing the family at the heart of seventeenth-century Irish life. The name is believed to be an anglicized version of an older Gaelic surname, likely evolving from the Irish term "ceapach," which refers to a plot of land or a tilled field. This suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely people of the land who eventually moved into the growing urban environment of the capital city. By establishing themselves in Dublin during the mid-1600s, the family became part of the complex social fabric of a city navigating the turbulent transition between the medieval era and the modern age.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ceapach
An Irish word referring to a plot of land or tillage.
This name
CaplesDerived from a topographical descriptor for someone who lived near a specific plot of cultivated land.
also spelled
Capel
Capell
Related arms
Capelvariant spelling
Capellvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland, 1985
National Archives of Ireland, Civil Survey of the County of Dublin, 1654-1656
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
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