Map of England showing where the Dutton arms are recorded
The Dutton arms were recorded in Chester, c. 1620.
Cheshire was governed apart from the rest of England for much of its history, with its own courts and its own gentry. That separateness bred a strong local landed class, and landed families 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 Dutton 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 Chester.
Origin & History of the Dutton Family in England
The family name Dutton originates from a place name in Cheshire, England, specifically a township located near the River Weaver. The name itself is derived from the Old English words "dunn," meaning dark or brown, and "tun," which refers to an enclosed settlement or farm. By the time members of the family were documented in Chester in 1620, the name had been established in the region for several centuries. The early Duttons were significant landowners who held positions of local influence and managed large estates throughout the medieval period. Because they were deeply connected to the geography of Cheshire, the family played an active role in the development of the local community and the administration of the county long before their descendants moved further afield.
Dutton Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Dudd
An Old English personal name derived from the word for round.
This name
DuttonRefers to a settlement or enclosure belonging to a person named Dudd.
also spelled
Dutten
Duttyn
Related arms
Athaelrecorded with Dutton, same area
Chafyrecorded with Dutton, same area
Chamberlaynerecorded with Dutton, same area
Duffrecorded with Dutton, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
Mills, A.D., A Dictionary of English Place-Names, 2011
Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, Dutton of Dutton Estate Records, DCH/D
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