A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Catesby family of England.
Reg. 2277 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Ar. two lions pass. sa. crowned or”
EnglandHardmead, c. 1620
Where the Catesby Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Catesby arms are recorded
The Catesby arms were recorded in Hardmead, 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 Catesby 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 Catesby Family in England
The surname Catesby is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from the village of Catesby in Northamptonshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Catesbi." The name itself likely comes from a combination of a Norse personal name and the Old English word for a farmstead or village. While the family established deep roots in the English Midlands during the Middle Ages, their influence expanded across the country over the following centuries. By the year 1620, members of the Catesby family were documented as residents in York. This suggests that the family had successfully transitioned from their ancestral lands to become part of the urban professional or merchant class in northern England during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Catesby
Old Norse name Kati meaning boy or man combined with Old English by.
This name
CatesbyA habitational name referring to a settlement established by a man named Kati.
also spelled
Catesbie
Katesby
Related arms
Catisbyvariant spelling
Chenyrecorded with Catesby, same area
Delavalrecorded with Catesby, same area
Halfacrerecorded with Catesby, same area
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
Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
The National Archives, Domesday Book: Great Domesday. 1086
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records. 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
