A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Frodsham family of England.
Reg. 2362 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 cross engr. sa. five mullets of the first”
EssexEssex, c. 1620
Where the Frodsham Arms Were Recorded
Essex
Map of England showing where the Frodsham arms are recorded
The Frodsham arms were recorded in Essex, c. 1620.
Essex lay close enough to London for City money to buy land there. Merchants who prospered moved out to estates within a day's ride, and a new landowner almost always wanted arms to go with the ground.
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 Frodsham 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 Essex.
Origin & History of the Frodsham Family in England
The family name Frodsham originates from a place name in Cheshire, England, derived from the Old English words for a ford and a homestead. While the name is deeply rooted in the northwest of England, branches of the family expanded across the country over the centuries. By 1620, records confirm that members of the Frodsham family were established in Essex. This period was a time of significant movement and social change in England, as families often relocated to pursue new agricultural opportunities or trade prospects in different regions. The presence of the family in Essex during the early seventeenth century highlights how names associated with specific northern towns eventually spread to the southeast as the population became more mobile.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
frode and ham
Old English for wise or prudent and a settlement or homestead.
This name
FrodshamA place name referring to a settlement belonging to a wise person.
also spelled
Frodham
Frodshamme
Related arms
Frodhamvariant spelling
Collinrecorded with Frodsham, same area
Launderrecorded with Frodsham, same area
Sapcottsrecorded with Frodsham, same area
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
Essex Record Office, Quarter Sessions Rolls, Q/SR 230/114
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
