A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Durborough family of England.
Reg. 7243 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Sa. three dolphins naiant embowed ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Durborough Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Durborough arms are recorded
The Durborough arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried 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 Durborough 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 England.
Origin & History of the Durborough Family in England
The surname Durborough is a rare locative name, which suggests that the earliest members of the family likely took their identity from a specific place or small settlement. While the exact geographical origin remains a subject of study, historical records confirm that the family was well-established in the city of York by the year 1620. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious life, and families living there were often involved in the city’s influential merchant guilds or local administration. The name itself follows a pattern common to English surnames derived from Old English or Middle English place names, where a suffix like "borough" often indicated a fortified town or a protected enclosure. By settling in a major hub like York, the early Durboroughs were positioned within a society that valued record-keeping, which allowed their presence to be documented in parish registers and legal papers that have survived for over four hundred years.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Deor-burh
Derived from Old English words for beloved or animal and fortified town.
This name
DurboroughRefers to a person who lived near a fortified settlement belonging to a beloved individual.
also spelled
Durborow
Durborrow
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Palliser, D.M., Tudor York, 1979
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dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
