A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fillingham family of England.
Reg. 0339 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
ErmineMeans: Dignity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Erm. a bend engr. az”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Fillingham Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Fillingham arms are recorded
The Fillingham 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 Fillingham 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 Fillingham Family in England
The surname Fillingham is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from the village of Fillingham in Lincolnshire, where the family likely lived before spreading to other parts of England. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the family had established a significant presence in the city of York. During this period, York was a major hub for trade and administration in Northern England, suggesting that these early ancestors were likely involved in the city’s growing merchant class or local governance. As the family moved away from their ancestral village, they carried the name with them, effectively turning their place of origin into a permanent family identity that persisted through generations of urban life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Filla
An Old English personal name derived from the word for foal.
This name
FillinghamRefers to the homestead or settlement belonging to the followers of Filla.
also spelled
Fyllyngham
Fyllingham
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
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
