A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cloke family of England.
Reg. 0564 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Per pale az. and gu. three griffins' heads erased or”
KentKent, c. 1620
Where the Cloke Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of England showing where the Cloke arms are recorded
The Cloke 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.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Cloke 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 Kent.
Origin & History of the Cloke Family in England
The surname Cloke is deeply rooted in the history of Kent, England, where members of the family were firmly established by the early seventeenth century. Etymologists often trace the name to the Middle English word cloke, which originally referred to a heavy outer garment or a cloak. It is likely that the name began as a descriptive nickname for a person who frequently wore a distinctive cloak or perhaps for a professional tailor who crafted such items. By 1620, the Cloke family had become a recognized part of the local community in Kent, living through a period of significant social and agricultural change in the region. As the family grew, they integrated into the local parish systems, leaving behind records of their daily lives, marriages, and trades that help historians understand how ordinary families contributed to the development of the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
cloke
A Middle English term for a heavy outer garment or cloak.
This name
ClokeAn occupational name for a maker or seller of cloaks or a nickname for a wearer.
also spelled
Cloake
Cloak
Related arms
Cloakevariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Kent Archives, Canterbury Cathedral Archives: Parish Registers of Kent, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
