A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Costley family of England.
Reg. 8671 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
ErmineMeans: Dignity
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. a cross potent fitchée ar. a chief erm”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Costley Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Costley arms are recorded
The Costley arms were recorded in England, 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.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Costley 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 England.
Origin & History of the Costley Family in England
The surname Costley is rooted in the historical landscape of Northern England, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the city of York as early as 1620. The name is generally classified as a locative surname, which suggests that the earliest ancestors likely took their name from a specific place or small settlement known as Costley. This location is most notably associated with the county of Northumberland, where a place called Costley exists near the town of Hexham. During the seventeenth century, families often moved from rural areas into growing urban centers like York to pursue new trades and economic opportunities. As these individuals settled into city life, their distinct surname became a permanent marker of their regional heritage, linking them back to the northern countryside from which they migrated.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Costes
Old French term for a rib or a side of a hill.
This name
CostleyA topographic name for someone who lived on the side of a hill or slope.
also spelled
Costly
Costlie
Costlay
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
