A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dam family of England.
Reg. 1997 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
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)
“Or, a griffin pass. az. on a chief gu. three fleurs-de-lis ar”
HerefordHadham · Hereford, c. 1620
Where the Dam Arms Were Recorded
Hereford
Map of England showing where the Dam arms are recorded
The Dam arms were recorded in Hereford, c. 1620.
Herefordshire lay on the Welsh border, where land was held in return for military service. Families there were expected to arm and to fight, and a fighting household needed a shield it could be known by.
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 Dam 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 Hereford.
Origin & History of the Dam Family in England
The surname Dam is a topographical name, which means it was originally given to people who lived near a specific physical landmark. In Old English and Middle Dutch, the word "dam" referred to a barrier or a bank built to hold back water. Families who took this name often lived near a millpond, a stream, or a man-made embankment used for irrigation or flood control. By 1620, records confirm that members of the Dam family were established in the city of Hereford. During this period, Hereford was a bustling market town known for its agricultural trade and its strategic location near the River Wye. It is likely that the early ancestors of the family in this region were farmers or laborers who settled near the riverbanks, where the name would have served as a simple way to identify their home to their neighbors.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
damm
A Middle English or Middle Low German term for a dam or embankment.
This name
DamA topographic name for someone who lived near a dam or a barrier in a stream.
also spelled
Damme
Related arms
Marsonrecorded with Dam, same area
Nucerecorded with Dam, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Herefordshire Archives and Records Centre, Parish Registers of Hereford St Nicholas, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
