A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dewhurst family of England.
Reg. 9658 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
Colours
ErmineMeans: Dignity
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)
“Erm. three escallops gu”
LancasterDewhurst · Lancaster, c. 1620
Where the Dewhurst Arms Were Recorded
Lancaster
Map of England showing where the Dewhurst arms are recorded
The Dewhurst arms were recorded in Lancaster, c. 1620.
Lancashire was divided among a great many small landed families, more than most northern counties. Estates were passed down whole rather than split up, so the same names hold the same ground for centuries in the records.
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 Dewhurst 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 Lancaster.
Origin & History of the Dewhurst Family in England
The surname Dewhurst is a locational name that originated in the historic county of Lancashire in Northern England. It is derived from the Old English words "deaw," meaning dew, and "hyrst," which refers to a wooded hill or a thicket. This suggests that the first people to carry the name likely lived near a prominent, dew-covered grove or a forested ridge. By the early 17th century, the family was well-established in the Lancaster area, as evidenced by records from 1620. During this period, the Dewhursts were typically part of the local farming or tradesman classes who helped shape the rural landscape of the region. As the family grew, they became deeply rooted in the social and economic life of Lancashire, eventually spreading from their ancestral wooded hills into the growing towns of the north.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
deaw and hyrst
Old English terms for a damp or moist wooded hill.
This name
DewhurstRefers to a person who lived near a wooded hill characterized by damp or marshy ground.
also spelled
Dewhirst
Dewhirste
Dewherst
Related arms
Duhurstvariant spelling
Lymme, afterwards Leighrecorded with Dewhurst, 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
Ekwall, Eilert, The Place-Names of Lancashire, 1922
Lancashire Archives, Lancaster Parish Church Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers, 1620
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escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
