A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dewes family of England.
Reg. 8105 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
vairProtection, and the winter fur
plant quatrefoilGood fortune and the fourfold gospel
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 fesse vair betw. three quatrefoils gu”
SuffolkStow Hall · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Dewes Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Dewes arms are recorded
The Dewes arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1620.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to 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.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Dewes 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 Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Dewes Family in England
The surname Dewes is primarily rooted in the English county of Suffolk, where records confirm the family was well-established by the early seventeenth century. The name is considered a patronymic, meaning it likely originated as a way to identify a person as the son or descendant of someone named Dew, which was a medieval pet form of the name David. During the 1600s, families in Suffolk were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the growing trade networks of East Anglia. As the Dewes family settled into this region, they became part of the local social fabric, participating in parish life and community governance. The spelling of the name evolved over time as literacy standards shifted and scribes recorded names based on how they sounded, leading to variations that eventually stabilized into the modern form. By 1620, the family had already laid down deep roots in the area, contributing to the distinct cultural history of the Suffolk countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dew
A pet form of the name David meaning beloved or friend.
This name
DewesA patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named David.
also spelled
Dews
Dewis
Related arms
Harerecorded with Dewes, same area
Knotsfordrecorded with Dewes, same area
Malloryrecorded with Dewes, 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, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Suffolk Archives, Parish registers for Suffolk parishes, 1600–1650
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
plant quatrefoilGood fortune and the fourfold gospel
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
plant quatrefoilGood fortune and the fourfold gospel
