A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fearnley family of England.
Reg. 2093 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Or, on a bend vert three bucks' heads cabossed ar. attired of the first”
NorthumberlandHetton · Northumberland, c. 1620
Where the Fearnley Arms Were Recorded
Northumberland
Map of England showing where the Fearnley arms are recorded
The Fearnley arms were recorded in Northumberland, c. 1620.
Northumberland was border country facing Scotland, raided and fought over for three hundred years. Families held their land in return for defending it, and a defending household carried a shield.
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 Fearnley 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 Northumberland.
Origin & History of the Fearnley Family in England
The surname Fearnley originates from the northern regions of England, where it was primarily used to describe people who lived near a clearing filled with ferns. The name is derived from the Old English words "fearn," meaning fern, and "leah," which refers to a meadow or a woodland clearing. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in Northumberland, a rugged county along the border of Scotland. During this period, families in the north often lived in close-knit rural communities where they worked the land or engaged in local trade. The movement of the Fearnley family into Northumberland suggests they were part of the steady migration of northern settlers who helped shape the local culture and economy of the borderlands during the reign of King James I.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fearn-leah
Old English for bracken or fern and a woodland clearing.
This name
FearnleyRefers to a person who lived near a clearing where ferns grew.
also spelled
Fernley
Fearnly
Fernly
Related arms
Ferneley, or Fernleysimilar arms
Fernleyvariant spelling
Wallisrecorded with Fearnley, same area
Woodrecorded with Fearnley, 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
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
