Map of England showing where the Fincel arms are recorded
The Fincel arms were recorded in Somerset, c. 1620.
Somerset was rich farming country with a thick scattering of manor houses. Its gentry were numerous and long-settled, and a settled landed family almost always ended up with 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 Fincel 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 Somerset.
Origin & History of the Fincel Family in England
The surname Fincel traces its roots to the rural landscapes of Somerset, England, where members of the family were documented as early as 1620. During the seventeenth century, the region was defined by a transition from traditional manorial farming to a more commercialized agricultural economy. Families like the Fincels were often tied to the land as yeomen or tenant farmers who contributed to the local wool and textile trade that made Somerset famous. Life in this era required resilience, as the family navigated the social shifts of the English Civil War and the changing religious landscape of the time. By establishing themselves in the West Country, the early Fincels became part of a long tradition of English agrarian life that eventually saw many descendants migrate toward urban centers or across the Atlantic in search of new opportunities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Finch
A small passerine bird of the finch family.
This name
FincelA nickname for someone with a cheerful disposition or a bird-like appearance.
also spelled
Fynzel
Fynzell
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Dunning, Robert, A History of Somerset, 1983
Somerset Archives, Quarter Sessions Records, 1620
Thirsk, Joan, The Rural Economy of England, 1984
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
