A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Debnam family of England.
Reg. 2576 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Sa. a bendlet betw. two crescents or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Debnam Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Debnam arms are recorded
The Debnam 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 Debnam 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 Debnam Family in England
The surname Debnam is a locational name that likely originated from a small settlement or a specific geographic feature in England. While the exact roots of the name are tied to regional dialects, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the city of York by 1620. During this period, York was a significant center for trade and administration, suggesting that early ancestors were likely involved in the urban economy of the North. As the family grew, individuals began to migrate from these northern strongholds to other parts of England and eventually across the Atlantic. This movement was often driven by the search for new opportunities in the expanding British colonies, where the name became a permanent part of the historical record.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Denman
A dweller in a valley or a man from the valley.
This name
DebnamA topographic surname referring to someone who lived in or near a deep valley.
also spelled
Debnamme
Debnem
Related arms
Debenhamvariant spelling
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
The National Archives, UK, Probate Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11
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crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
