A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fairley family of England.
Reg. 9286 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Sa. three bezants”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Fairley Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Fairley arms are recorded
The Fairley 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 Fairley 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 Fairley Family in England
The Fairley name is rooted in the landscape of northern England and southern Scotland, where it likely originated as a descriptive term for people living near a pleasant or beautiful meadow. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the city of York. During this period, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, suggesting that these early ancestors were likely involved in the local merchant guilds or the skilled craft industries that defined the city. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the region, navigating the significant political and religious shifts of the seventeenth century. Their presence in such a prominent urban center indicates that they were settled, active participants in their community long before the name spread further across the British Isles.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
faeger leah
Old English words for beautiful or fair and a woodland clearing.
This name
FairleyRefers to a person who lived near a beautiful or pleasant meadow or forest clearing.
also spelled
Farley
Fairley
Fayrley
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
York City Archives, York Freemen’s Register, 1272–1759
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
