Map of England showing where the Coryton arms are recorded
The Coryton 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 Coryton 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 Coryton Family in England
The Coryton family name is deeply rooted in the landscape of Cornwall, where the family established a significant presence by the early seventeenth century. The name itself is locative, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place called Coryton, located near the border of Devon and Cornwall. By 1620, the family was well-established as part of the Cornish gentry, with members holding positions of influence and managing estates in the region. Their history is closely tied to the development of local governance and land ownership in the West Country during the Stuart period. Over time, the family became known for their involvement in regional politics and their long-standing connection to the parish of St. Mellion. This deep attachment to the Cornish soil helped define the family identity for generations, as they transitioned from local landowners into prominent figures in the social and political life of the county.
Coryton Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Corriton
An Old English place name derived from a farmstead or settlement.
This name
CorytonRefers to a person originating from the settlement of Corriton in Devon, England.
also spelled
Corriton
Coryntone
Coriton
Related arms
Coritonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Vivian, J.L., The Visitations of Cornwall: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1530, 1573, & 1620, 1887
Polwhele, Richard, The History of Cornwall, Civil, Military, Religious, Architectural, Agricultural, Commercial, Biographical, and Miscellaneous, 1803
The National Archives, Kew, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Will of Peter Coryton of Coryton, PROB 11/170, 1635
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saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
