A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dugdale family of England.
Reg. 7946 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Ar. a cross moline gu. in the first quarter a torteau”
LancasterLancaster, c. 1620
Where the Dugdale Arms Were Recorded
Lancaster
Map of England showing where the Dugdale arms are recorded
The Dugdale 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 Dugdale 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 Dugdale Family in England
The surname Dugdale is of locational origin, meaning it was originally taken from a specific place name. It is derived from the Old English words "duce," meaning duck, and "dael," meaning a valley. This suggests that the earliest members of the family lived in a valley frequented by wild ducks. By the year 1620, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Lancashire. During this period, families in the region were often deeply connected to the local landscape and agricultural life. As the name spread through the north of England, it became closely associated with the social and economic development of the Lancashire area. The history of the name reflects the way many English surnames were formed by linking a family identity to the geography of their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dugdale
Derived from the Old English words for ditch or valley.
This name
DugdaleA topographic name for someone who lived in a valley containing a ditch.
also spelled
Dugdaile
Dugdaill
Dugdell
Related arms
Naylerrecorded with Dugdale, same area
Wallrecorded with Dugdale, same area
Woodsrecorded with Dugdale, same area
Wrytherecorded with Dugdale, 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
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
