Dowie Coat of Arms Record & History

A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dowie family of England.

Reg. 9651 · English, D–F

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Where the Dowie Arms Were Recorded

Surrey
Map of England showing where the Dowie arms are recorded

The Dowie arms were recorded in Surrey, c. 1620.

Surrey sat just south of London and filled up with families who had made money in the City. Buying an estate there was the usual next step, and an estate was the usual reason to take 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.

Region
Surrey
Town
Wimbledon
First recorded
1620

Granting Authority for the Dowie Arms

Arms of College of Arms
College of Arms Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
Authority

College of Arms

1484-present

The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.

Portrait of James VI and I
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period

James VI and I

1603–1625

Reigning in England when the Dowie 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 Surrey.

Origin & History of the Dowie Family in England

The family name Dowie has roots that stretch back several centuries, with early records confirming that members of the family were established in the English county of Surrey by 1620. While the name is often associated with Scottish origins, its presence in southern England during the early seventeenth century suggests that the family was mobile and well-integrated into local communities during a time of significant social change. Historians often link the name to descriptive origins, potentially derived from early terms for people living near specific landscapes or those known for a particular temperament. As the family grew, they became part of the local fabric of Surrey, participating in the parish life and economic activities that defined the region during the Stuart period. This early documentation provides a clear starting point for tracing the family’s long history and their movement across the British Isles.

Related Branches & Arms

Root word
Dow

A Gaelic term meaning dark or black-haired.

This name
DowieA locative or descriptive surname referring to a person with a dark complexion or hair.
also spelled
Dowey
Dowye
Dowy
Related arms
Dowayvariant spelling
Bettensonrecorded with Dowie, same area
Janssenrecorded with Dowie, same area
Rushrecorded with Dowie, same area

Documented Sources

Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884

Ancestry.com, Surrey, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, 2013

Surrey History Centre, Parish Registers for the County of Surrey, 1620

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