A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ecclestone family of England.
Reg. 8375 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
pileWell-doing, and a mark of distinction
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 piles wavy ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Ecclestone Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Ecclestone arms are recorded
The Ecclestone 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 Ecclestone 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 Ecclestone Family in England
The surname Ecclestone is a locational name that originated from places in England bearing the same title, most notably in Lancashire. The name itself is derived from the Latin word ecclesia, meaning church, combined with the Old English word tun, which refers to an enclosed piece of land or a settlement. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to adopt the name likely lived near a prominent church or a religious site. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Ecclestone family were established in York. During this period, the city served as a major northern hub for trade and administration, indicating that the family was likely integrated into the professional or merchant classes of the time. As the family grew, they moved through various regions of Northern England, carrying the history of their ancestral settlements with them as they built new lives in growing urban centers.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
ecclesia
Latin term for a church or place of assembly.
This name
EcclestoneRefers to a person who lived near or at a church settlement.
also spelled
Ecclestone
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
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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pileWell-doing, and a mark of distinction
pileWell-doing, and a mark of distinction
