Map of England showing where the Covington arms are recorded
The Covington 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 Covington 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 Covington Family in England
The surname Covington is a locational name that originated in England, specifically derived from a place called Covington in Huntingdonshire. The name itself is rooted in Old English, combining a personal name with the suffix meaning a farmstead or settlement. By the early 17th century, members of the family were well-established in the city of York. These early ancestors were part of a period of significant social and economic change in Northern England. As they moved through the 1620s, the family integrated into the local community, likely working in trade or agriculture as was common for families of that era. Their presence in York suggests they were part of the growing urban population that helped define the region during the transition into the Stuart period.
Covington Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Cofa
An Old English personal name meaning friend or companion.
This name
CovingtonRefers to the settlement or farmstead belonging to the kin or followers of Cofa.
also spelled
Covinton
Covington
Covynton
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names. 1960
Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
The National Archives, Kew. State Papers Domestic, Series SP 14. 1603–1625
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
