A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cutcliffe family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Gu. three pruning hooks, blades ar. handles or”
The Cutcliffe arms were recorded in Devon, c. 1620.
Devon was a county of small manors and seafaring families. Its gentry were spread thickly across the countryside, and money made at sea often bought an estate, which in turn brought 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.
Reigning in England when the Cutcliffe arms are first recorded.
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.
The Cutcliffe family name is deeply rooted in the landscape of North Devon, where the family established a strong presence by the early seventeenth century. The name itself is topographical, likely originating from a specific location known as Cutcliffe, which translates to a cliff or steep slope associated with a person named Cutta. By 1620, the family was well-settled in the parish of Ilfracombe, where they held significant land and influence within the local community. Their history is closely tied to the rugged coastline of the region, and they were recognized as members of the landed gentry who played active roles in the social and economic life of Devon. Over the generations, the family maintained their connection to these ancestral estates, ensuring that the name remained a fixture of the local history for centuries.
Old English for a dweller by a steep slope or cliff.
