A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Coatsworth 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)“Ar. three bars gu”
The Coatsworth arms were recorded in Newcastle, 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.
Reigning in England when the Coatsworth 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 surname Coatsworth is a locational name that originated in Northern England, specifically within the historic county of Yorkshire. The name is derived from Old English roots, likely referring to a specific homestead or enclosure belonging to a person named Cota. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Coatsworth family were well-established residents of York. During this period, the city served as a vital hub for trade and administration in the north. Families like the Coatsworths often played active roles in the local economy, working as merchants, tradespeople, or skilled craftsmen. Over the following centuries, the family expanded from these urban roots into the surrounding rural areas, becoming deeply integrated into the social and professional life of the Yorkshire region.
A homestead or enclosure located near a riverbank or shelter.
