A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cardoso family of Britain.
Reg. 4300 · Britain, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De sa. à cinq bes. d'or, 2, 1 et 2; au chef denché d'arg., ch. de trois plantes de tabac de sin. C.: un sauvage iss., tenant de sa main dextre une plante de tabac de sin., la sen. appuyée sur un triangle d'or.”
BritainLondres, c. 1700
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of Britain showing where the Cardoso arms are recorded
The Cardoso arms were recorded in Londres, c. 1700.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Kent.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats of 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 Britain in this period.
William III of England
Sovereign of the period
William III of England
1694–1702
Reigning in Britain when the Cardoso arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Britain
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 Britain.
Origin & History of the Cardoso Family in Britain
The surname Cardoso originates from the Iberian Peninsula, where it was historically used as a topographic name for people who lived near a patch of thistle or wild artichoke plants. The name is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish word cardo, which refers to these spiky plants. While the family has deep roots in Portugal and Spain, members of the Cardoso family began appearing in English records by the early 1700s, particularly in the county of Kent. These early arrivals were often part of the Sephardic Jewish community or merchant networks that moved between the Mediterranean and Northern Europe during the eighteenth century. By settling in Kent, these individuals integrated into the local economy and society, leaving behind traces in parish registers and trade documents that mark their transition into English life.
Cardoso Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Carduus
Latin word for thistle or a prickly plant.
This name
CardosoDerived from a topographic name for someone living near a patch of thistles.
also spelled
Cardoso
Cardoza
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Hanks, Patrick, Dictionary of American Family Names, 2003
Kayserling, Meyer, Geschichte der Juden in Portugal, 1867
Wolf, Lucien, Jews in the Canary Islands: Being a Calendar of Jewish Cases Extracted from the Records of the Inquisition in the Canary Islands, 1926
The National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11
Kent History and Library Centre, Parish Registers of Kent, P series
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
