A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chowne family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Sa. three thatcher's hooks in fesse ar”
The Chowne arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1620.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats 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.
Reigning in England when the Chowne arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Chowne has deep roots in the county of Kent, where members of the family were firmly established by the early seventeenth century. Historical records confirm that the family lived in this region by 1620, often occupying roles as landowners and local gentry within the rural landscape of southeastern England. The name itself is thought to be a variation of older occupational or locational terms common in the medieval period, reflecting the way families were identified by their surroundings or their trade. During the 1600s, the Chownes were active participants in the social and economic life of Kentish parishes, leaving behind traces in local tax documents and property registers. As the family grew, they became integrated into the fabric of the community, helping to shape the local history of the region during a time of significant change in English society.
Old English term meaning ship or keel.
