A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cowdrey family of England.
Reg. 7071 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Gu. ten billets or, four, three, two, and one”
BerksBerks, c. 1620
Where the Cowdrey Arms Were Recorded
Berks
Map of England showing where the Cowdrey arms are recorded
The Cowdrey arms were recorded in Berks, c. 1620.
Berkshire sat on the road west from London with the royal castle at Windsor in the middle of it. Court families bought estates within reach, and an estate near the court almost always came with a coat of 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 Cowdrey 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 Berks.
Origin & History of the Cowdrey Family in England
The surname Cowdrey is a locative name, meaning it was originally taken from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal trait. It is derived from the Old French term *coudraie*, which refers to a grove of hazel trees. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the English county of Berkshire. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Cowdrey family were living and working in this region during the reign of King James I. As the family settled into the local community, they became part of the rural fabric of southern England, likely working as farmers or tradespeople who were identified by their connection to the hazel-rich landscape of their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Coudray
Old French term for a grove or thicket of hazel trees.
This name
CowdreyA locational surname referring to someone who lived near a hazel grove.
also spelled
Cowdray
Coudray
Coudrey
Related arms
Jervoiserecorded with Cowdrey, same area
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
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, PROB 11
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
