A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Casterton family of England.
Reg. 3439 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Ar. four lozenges gu. each charged with an annulet or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Casterton Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Casterton arms are recorded
The Casterton 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 Casterton 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 Casterton Family in England
The surname Casterton is a locational name, meaning it was originally taken from a specific place to identify the people who lived there. The name is derived from the village of Casterton in the historic county of Westmorland, which is now part of Cumbria. The name itself comes from the Old English words for a Roman fort and a farmstead or settlement. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the family had established themselves in the city of York. This migration suggests that the family moved from their ancestral northern lands toward the major urban centers of the region during the early seventeenth century. As they settled in York, the family became part of the local community, likely contributing to the trade and social life of the city during a time of great change in England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Castrum and Tun
Latin for fort or camp and Old English for enclosure or settlement.
This name
CastertonRefers to a settlement or farmstead located near a Roman fort or military camp.
also spelled
Castreton
Kasterton
Castarton
Related arms
Caystertonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names. 1960
Mills, A.D. A Dictionary of British Place Names. 2011
Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. Archbishop of York’s Diocesan Records
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lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
