A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Furnace family of England.
Reg. 0457 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bordureA difference between branches of one family
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Ar. a talbot sejant sa. a bordure of the last”
KentSandwich · Kent, c. 1620
Where the Furnace Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of England showing where the Furnace arms are recorded
The Furnace arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1620.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats of 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 Furnace 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 Kent.
Origin & History of the Furnace Family in England
The family name Furnace is a locative surname, meaning it likely originated from a place name or a specific landmark associated with early ironworking. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the family were established in the county of Kent in England. During this period, Kent was a hub for the Wealden iron industry, which relied on large furnaces to smelt local ore. It is highly probable that the family name emerged because these early ancestors worked at or lived near one of the many industrial furnace sites scattered across the Kentish landscape. As the family grew and moved, they carried this occupational connection with them, cementing a name that reflects the vital role their forebears played in the regional economy of the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fornax
A Latin term referring to an oven or a kiln.
This name
FurnaceAn occupational name for someone who worked at a furnace or kiln.
also spelled
Furnas
Furnass
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Cleere, Henry and Crossley, David, The Iron Industry of the Weald, 1995
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers, PROB 11
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bordureA difference between branches of one family
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
bordureA difference between branches of one family
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
