A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Catchpole family of England.
Reg. 4071 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
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)
“Or, two cubit arms issuing from the dexter and sinister base points, habited gu. and grasping the pole or head of a hart cabossed in fesse sa. with a raven perched thereupon betw. three horns ppr”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Catchpole Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Catchpole arms are recorded
The Catchpole 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 Catchpole 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 Catchpole Family in England
The surname Catchpole originated in medieval England as an occupational name for a minor official, such as a bailiff or a sheriff's officer, who was responsible for seizing property or arresting individuals for debt. The name is derived from the Old North French words *cache* and *pole*, which together describe a person who catches or traps others. By the time members of the family were documented in York in 1620, the name had long transitioned from a job title to a hereditary surname passed down through generations. These early settlers in York were part of a growing urban population during the seventeenth century, living in a city that served as a major center for trade and administration in Northern England. While the original role of a catchpole was often viewed with suspicion by the public, the families who carried the name eventually established themselves as respected members of their local communities across the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
cache-pole
Old French for to catch or seize and a pole or head.
This name
CatchpoleAn occupational title for a medieval tax collector or a bailiff who seized goods.
also spelled
Catchpoll
Cachepole
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York Freemen's Register, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
