A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fitz-Randolph family of England.
Reg. 3803 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Or, a chief indented az”
NorthumberlandNorthumberland, c. 1620
Where the Fitz-Randolph Arms Were Recorded
Northumberland
Map of England showing where the Fitz-Randolph arms are recorded
The Fitz-Randolph 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 Fitz-Randolph 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 Fitz-Randolph Family in England
The surname Fitz-Randolph is a patronymic name, which means it was originally created to identify a person as the son of someone named Randolph. The prefix "Fitz" comes from the Old French word for son and was commonly used by families of Norman descent after the conquest of England. By the time members of the family were recorded living in Northumberland in 1620, the name had already been established for several centuries. These early settlers in the north of England were part of a long tradition of families who used their father’s given name to distinguish their lineage. Over time, the name evolved from a simple description of parentage into a permanent family identifier that was passed down through generations. This history reflects the broader patterns of naming customs in medieval and early modern England, where surnames often served as a bridge between a person’s ancestry and their place in the local community.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Randolf
Derived from the Germanic elements for shield and wolf.
This name
Fitz-RandolphSon of the individual named Randolf, indicating a patronymic lineage.
also spelled
Fitzrandolf
Fitzrandolfe
Fitzrandall
Related arms
Fitz-Randallvariant spelling
Fitz-Randolfvariant spelling
Fitz-Randolfevariant spelling
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, 1958
Lower, Mark Antony, Patronymica Britannica: A Dictionary of the Family Names of the United Kingdom, 1860
The National Archives, State Papers Domestic, James I, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
