A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dunston family of England.
Reg. 1598 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Gu. a buck's head cabossed or”
SuffolkHopton · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Dunston Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Dunston arms are recorded
The Dunston 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 Dunston 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 Dunston Family in England
The family name Dunston is rooted in the landscape of medieval England, originating as a locative surname derived from Old English words meaning a hill or a fortified settlement. By the early 17th century, records confirm that members of the Dunston family were well-established in the county of Suffolk. During this period, families in the region were often tied to the local agricultural economy and the growing influence of parish life. Living in Suffolk provided these early ancestors with a stable environment during a time of significant social and political change in England. As the family grew, they became part of the local fabric of the community, leaving behind traces in parish registers and legal documents that track their presence through the generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dun-tun
Old English elements meaning hill and settlement or enclosure.
This name
DunstonDerived from a place name signifying a settlement located on a hill.
also spelled
Dunsten
Related arms
Gorneyrecorded with Dunston, same area
Mauderecorded with Dunston, same area
Roosrecorded with Dunston, same area
Warrenrecorded with Dunston, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Suffolk Archives, Parish Registers of Suffolk, 1620
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
