A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fitz-Gilbert family of England.
Reg. 7147 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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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, three chev. gu”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Fitz-Gilbert Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Fitz-Gilbert arms are recorded
The Fitz-Gilbert 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 Fitz-Gilbert 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 Fitz-Gilbert Family in England
The name Fitz-Gilbert is a classic example of a patronymic surname, which means it was formed by adding a prefix to a father’s given name. In the Norman French language, the prefix "Fitz" translates to "son of," identifying the original bearer as the son of a man named Gilbert. This naming convention became common in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, as families began to adopt stable surnames to distinguish themselves in legal and tax records. By the time members of the family were documented living in York in 1620, the name had evolved from a simple description of lineage into a permanent family identity. These early residents of York were part of a growing urban middle class that helped shape the city’s trade and social life during the early seventeenth century. While the name originated from a specific ancestor, it eventually became a hereditary marker that connected generations of families across Northern England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gilbert
Derived from Germanic elements meaning bright pledge or shining hostage.
This name
Fitz-GilbertAn Anglo-Norman patronymic surname signifying the son of Gilbert.
also spelled
Fitzgylbert
Fitzgilberd
Fitzgylberd
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
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
The National Archives, Yorkshire Parish Registers, 1620
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