Map of England showing where the Cowart arms are recorded
The Cowart arms were recorded in Somerset, c. 1620.
Somerset was rich farming country with a thick scattering of manor houses. Its gentry were numerous and long-settled, and a settled landed family almost always ended up with 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 Cowart 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 Somerset.
Origin & History of the Cowart Family in England
PronunciationKOW-art/ˈkaʊɑːt/
The family name Cowart has roots that trace back to the southwestern region of England, specifically the county of Somerset. By the year 1620, records confirm that individuals bearing this name were well-established within local communities. The name is believed to be occupational in origin, likely derived from the Middle English term for a cowherd or someone who managed cattle. During the early seventeenth century, life in Somerset was centered around agriculture and the wool trade, which provided a stable environment for families to grow. As the century progressed, some members of the family sought new opportunities across the Atlantic, carrying their name and heritage to the American colonies. This migration helped the name spread far beyond its original English borders, eventually becoming a distinct part of the historical landscape in the New World.
Cowart Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Cowherd
A person who tends or herds cattle.
This name
CowartAn occupational surname for someone employed to look after a herd of cows.
also spelled
Caward
Cowart
Cowerd
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
Somerset Heritage Centre, Quarter Sessions Records, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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