A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Farnell family of England.
Reg. 4186 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bordureA difference between branches of one family
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Or, on a bend gu. three annulets of the field within a bordure of the second bezantée”
DorsetDorset, c. 1620
Where the Farnell Arms Were Recorded
Dorset
Map of England showing where the Farnell arms are recorded
The Farnell arms were recorded in Dorset, c. 1620.
Dorset was quiet farming and grazing country along the south coast. Its gentry were middling rather than grand, but they held their manors for a very long time, and long holding is what puts a name in the records.
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 Farnell 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 Dorset.
Origin & History of the Farnell Family in England
The family name Farnell is rooted in the English landscape, with historical records confirming the presence of the family in the county of Dorset by the year 1620. The name is generally classified as a locational surname, which suggests that the earliest ancestors likely took their name from a specific place or a geographical feature near their home. In Old English, names of this structure often evolved from words describing a fern-covered hill or a clearing where ferns grew in abundance. During the seventeenth century, families in Dorset were often tied to the land through farming or local trades, and the name would have helped neighbors and officials distinguish them from other residents in the area. As the family grew and moved throughout the region, the name became a permanent marker of their history and their connection to the rural traditions of southern England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fern
a flowerless green plant that reproduces via spores
This name
Farnella dweller near a clearing or slope where ferns grow
also spelled
Farnell
Farnel
Farnhill
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Dorset History Centre, Dorset Quarter Sessions Records, 1625–1638
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384–1858
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
bordureA difference between branches of one family
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bordureA difference between branches of one family
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
