A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cumberbatch family of England.
Reg. 8940 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
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. an eagle displ. betw. three trefoils or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Cumberbatch Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Cumberbatch arms are recorded
The Cumberbatch 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 Cumberbatch 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 Cumberbatch Family in England
The surname Cumberbatch is a topographical name that likely originated from a specific place in England. Linguists believe the name is derived from the Old English words "cumb," meaning a valley, and "baec," meaning a stream or a ridge. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name lived near a valley stream. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the city of York. During this period, families often took their surnames from the geography of their local landscape. As the family grew, they moved beyond their original home in the north of England, eventually spreading to other parts of the country and across the globe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cumber-bache
A valley where a confluence of streams or rivers occurs.
This name
CumberbatchDerived from a topographic location in Cheshire, England, referring to a valley near a river junction.
also spelled
Cumberbache
Cumberbach
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
York Minster Library, Parish Registers of York, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
