A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Charlton family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 0534 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cinquefoilHope and joy
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Az. on a chev. or, betw. three swans ar. as many cinquefoils gu. quartering SHARPE, STREY, DANNET, WELLES, and ORTON. Crest (granted by Richard St. George, Norroy, to THOMAS CHARLTON, Esq., in 1612; the coat of arms had long been borne by his ancestors)—A swan's head and neck erased ar. beaked gu. gorged with a chaplet vert”
NottinghamChilwell · Nottingham, c. 1612
Where the Charlton Arms Were Recorded
Nottingham
Map of England showing where the Charlton arms are recorded
The Charlton arms were recorded in Nottingham, c. 1612.
Nottinghamshire had coal under it and forest across it, and both were worth money. Families who profited bought manors, and a manor was the ordinary reason for a family to take a coat 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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Charlton 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 Nottingham.
Origin & History of the Charlton Family in England
The name Charlton is a classic example of a locational surname, which means it originated from the specific places where early families lived. In Old English, the name is derived from the words "ceorl," meaning a free peasant or freeman, and "tun," meaning a settlement or farm. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name were likely residents of a "ceorlatun," or a village inhabited by free farmers. By the time records confirm the family’s presence in Nottingham in 1612, the name had already been established across various English counties for several centuries. These early families were typically tied to the land and local agriculture, serving as the backbone of rural communities during the transition from the medieval period to the early modern era. As the family grew, they moved through different regions of England, carrying their name from small farming hamlets into the developing towns and cities of the seventeenth century.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
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, a lion ramp. gu”
MontgomeryPowys Castle · Montgomery, c. 1647
Where the Charlton Arms Were Recorded
Map of Wales showing where the Charlton arms are recorded
The Charlton arms were recorded in Montgomery, c. 1647.
Montgomeryshire was mid-Welsh border country where land was held in return for keeping it quiet. Families were expected to arm, and an armed household carried a shield.
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 Wales in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in England when the Charlton arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Wales
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 Montgomery.
Origin & History of the Charlton Family in Wales
The name Charlton carries a deep connection to the borderlands between England and Wales, particularly within the historic county of Montgomeryshire. By the mid-seventeenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the town of Montgomery, a region defined by its strategic position along the Welsh Marches. During this era, the surname likely functioned as a locational identifier, pointing back to ancestors who lived in a "ceorl-tun" or a settlement of free peasants. As the family settled into the social fabric of Montgomery by 1647, they became part of a complex cultural landscape where Welsh traditions and English administrative structures frequently overlapped. This period was marked by significant political upheaval, and families living in this border territory often navigated shifting loyalties and local governance as they sought to secure their influence within the Welsh countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
ceorl-tun
Old English for a free peasant or freeman and an enclosure.
This name
CharltonA settlement or farmstead belonging to a freeman or commoner.
also spelled
Charleton
Charilton
Charlten
Related arms
Chariltonvariant spelling
Charletonvariant spelling
Cherletonvariant spelling
Chorltonvariant spelling
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
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 1960
Nottinghamshire Archives, Nottingham St Mary’s Parish Registers, 1612
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cinquefoilHope and joy
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cinquefoilHope and joy
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
lionCourage, strength and royalty
