A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cawthorne family of England.
Reg. 2838 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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. on a saltire sa. five crosses patonce or”
YorkshireYorkshire, c. 1620
Where the Cawthorne Arms Were Recorded
Yorkshire
Map of England showing where the Cawthorne arms are recorded
The Cawthorne arms were recorded in Yorkshire, c. 1620.
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 Cawthorne 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 Yorkshire.
Origin & History of the Cawthorne Family in England
The family name Cawthorne is a locative surname, which means it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a nickname. The name is derived from the village of Cawthorne located in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In Old English, the name likely combines the word for a cold or bleak place with a term for a thorn bush or a thorny thicket. By the early 17th century, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this region of Northern England. These early ancestors were typically yeomen or farmers who worked the land surrounding their namesake village. As the family grew, they remained deeply connected to the local landscape of Yorkshire, which served as the foundation for their identity long before the name spread to other parts of the country.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Calde-thorn
Old English for cold or exposed thorn bush.
This name
CawthorneRefers to someone who lived near a cold or wind-swept hawthorn tree.
also spelled
Cawthornn
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
Smith, A.H. The Place-Names of the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1961
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Parish Registers of All Saints Church, Cawthorne
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
