A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Corke family of England.
Reg. 3928 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Sa. three lions' tails erect and erased ar”
CornwallCornwall, c. 1620
Where the Corke Arms Were Recorded
Cornwall
Map of England showing where the Corke arms are recorded
The Corke arms were recorded in Cornwall, c. 1620.
Cornwall was a county apart, with its own language and its own tight-knit gentry. Tin and the sea made money there, and families who made it bought land, which is what brought arms with it.
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 Corke 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 Cornwall.
Origin & History of the Corke Family in England
The surname Corke is rooted in the rugged landscape of Cornwall, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1620. The name likely originated as a topographic descriptor or a nickname, possibly derived from the Middle English word for a cork or a specific type of local plant life found near the coastal regions. During the early seventeenth century, families in this part of England were often deeply connected to the local maritime economy, mining, or small-scale agriculture. As the family grew, they became part of the distinct social fabric of the Cornish peninsula, maintaining strong ties to their local parishes. By the time of the early Stuart period, the Corke name was already woven into the history of the region, reflecting the migration patterns and naming traditions common to the southwestern corner of Britain.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Quercus
Latin term for an oak tree.
This name
CorkeA topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent oak tree.
also spelled
Corkk
Corcke
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Padel, O.J., A Popular Dictionary of Cornish Place-Names, 1988
Cornwall Archives, Parish Register Transcripts of St. Columb Major, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
