A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Furches family of England.
Reg. 8464 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Gu. a lion ramp. ar. crowned or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Furches Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Furches arms are recorded
The Furches 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 Furches 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 Furches Family in England
The Furches family name has roots that stretch back to early seventeenth-century England, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the city of York by 1620. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious life, and families living there often participated in the local craft guilds or the growing mercantile economy. The name itself likely evolved from older linguistic roots related to local geography or specific occupations common in Northern England. As the seventeenth century progressed, the social and economic shifts in Britain encouraged many families to seek new opportunities, eventually leading some members of the Furches line to migrate across the Atlantic to the American colonies. This transition marked a significant change in the family history, moving from the historic streets of York to the developing frontier of the New World.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fourche
Old French term referring to a fork or a forked road.
This name
FurchesA topographic name for someone who lived near a fork in a road or river.
also spelled
Furchis
Furchas
Furchies
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records
Collins, Francis, Register of the Freemen of the City of York, 1897
York City Archives, York City Chamberlains' Account Rolls, 1620
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
