A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Compson family of England.
Reg. 3214 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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. three garbs or”
SalopHopton Wape · Salop, c. 1792
Where the Compson Arms Were Recorded
Salop
Map of England showing where the Compson arms are recorded
The Compson arms were recorded in Salop, c. 1792.
Shropshire lay on the Welsh border, and border country needed men who could fight. Families held their land in return for service, and service in arms is what a coat of arms was originally for.
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.
George III of Great Britain
Sovereign of the period
George III of Great Britain
1760–1801
Reigning in England when the Compson 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 Salop.
Origin & History of the Compson Family in England
The Compson family name is deeply rooted in the history of the English West Midlands, particularly within the county of Shropshire, which was historically known as Salop. By the late eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this region, living and working within the local communities of Salop by 1792. The name itself is thought to be a variation of older occupational or locational surnames that evolved as families moved across the English countryside. During this period, the Compson family would have been part of the growing agricultural and trade networks that defined life in rural Shropshire. Their presence in the area during the late 1700s suggests that they were settled residents who contributed to the local economy and social structure of the county long before the dawn of the modern industrial era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cumbe
Old English term for a valley or a hollow.
This name
CompsonA patronymic surname denoting the son of a person living in a valley.
also spelled
Compsin
Compsun
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
