A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ekins family of England.
Reg. 0961 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 bend lozengy sa. betw. two crosses crosslet fitchée gu”
EnglandWeston Favill, c. 1620
Where the Ekins Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Ekins arms are recorded
The Ekins arms were recorded in Weston Favill, 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 Ekins 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 Ekins Family in England
The surname Ekins is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son or descendant of someone named Ekin. The name Ekin itself is a medieval diminutive form of the name Adam, showing how common nicknames evolved into permanent family identifiers during the Middle Ages. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Ekins family were well-established in the city of York. At this time, York was a major center for trade and religious life in Northern England, suggesting that early Ekins ancestors were likely involved in the local merchant guilds or the skilled craft industries that defined the city’s economy. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the region, leaving behind traces in parish registers and local legal documents that help historians map their movement through the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Adam
Hebrew for son of the red earth or man.
This name
EkinsA patronymic surname derived from a diminutive form of the name Adam.
also spelled
Ekyns
Ekyne
Ekines
Related arms
Eekings, or Ekinssame arms
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Archives: Parish Registers of York, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
