A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dank 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)“Barry of eight or and az”
The Dank 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.
Reigning in England when the Dank 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 surname Dank is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Northern England, where it likely emerged as a descriptive nickname or a shortened form of a personal name. By the early seventeenth century, records confirm that members of the Dank family were established residents of York. During this period, York served as a major center for trade and religious life, placing the family at the heart of a bustling urban environment. Life in 1620s York required families to navigate the social shifts of the Stuart era, often working in local crafts or commerce to maintain their standing within the city walls. While the name itself remains relatively rare, its presence in York suggests that the family was well-integrated into the local community during a time of significant historical change in England.
Derived from the Middle English word for damp or moist ground.
