A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fernley family of England.
Reg. 4813 · 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 stags' heads cabossed ar”
SuffolkWest Creting · Suffolk, c. 1568
Where the Fernley Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Fernley arms are recorded
The Fernley arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1568.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of 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.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in England when the Fernley 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 Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Fernley Family in England
The surname Fernley is a locative name, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place where the earliest family members lived. The name is composed of two Old English words: "fern," referring to the common woodland plant, and "ley," which describes a clearing or a meadow. This suggests that the first people to use the name were likely farmers or settlers who cleared a patch of land in a fern-covered area. By 1568, historical records confirm that the family was well-established in the county of Suffolk. During this period, families often took their names from the landscape surrounding their homes to distinguish themselves from others in the local village. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of East Anglia, leaving behind a legacy tied to the rural geography of the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fearn and leah
Old English words for fern and a woodland clearing or meadow.
This name
FernleyA habitational name referring to someone who lived near a clearing where ferns grew.
also spelled
Ferneley
Fernleigh
Fernlay
Related arms
Fearnleyvariant spelling
Ferneley, or Fernleyvariant spelling
Keblerecorded with Fernley, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Suffolk Archives, Subsidy Returns for Suffolk, 1568
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
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
