A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Death family of England.
Reg. 2766 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Sa. a griffin pass. or, armed gu. betw. three crescents ar”
KentDartford · Kent, c. 1620
Where the Death Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of England showing where the Death arms are recorded
The Death arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1620.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats 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 Death 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 Kent.
Origin & History of the Death Family in England
The surname Death is an ancient English name that likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a topographical reference. While the name sounds intimidating today, it most likely evolved from the Old English word *deth*, which was a term used to describe someone who was particularly boisterous or perhaps someone who lived near a specific local landmark. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Death family were well-established in the county of Kent. During this period, families in Kent were often involved in agriculture or local trade, and the name appears in various parish registers that tracked births, marriages, and deaths within the community. Over the centuries, the spelling of the name shifted as literacy became more common and clerks recorded the name based on how it sounded to them. This transition from early medieval roots to the documented presence in seventeenth-century Kent shows how a simple local nickname became a permanent family identity passed down through generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
dēath
Old English word meaning to perish or the end of life.
This name
DeathAn occupational or nickname surname originally denoting a grave digger or a person associated with mortality.
also spelled
Deth
Dethe
Related arms
Mylesrecorded with Death, same area
Roerecorded with Death, same area
Twisletonrecorded with Death, 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
Kent Archives, Canterbury Cathedral Archives: Parish Registers of Kent, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
