A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gamell family of England.
Reg. 7916 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
hammerHonest labour, and the smith's craft
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, three mallets sa”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Gamell Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Gamell arms are recorded
The Gamell 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 Gamell 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 Gamell Family in England
The surname Gamell traces its roots to the northern regions of England, where it emerged as a patronymic name derived from the Old Norse personal name Gamall, which translates to "old" or "elder." By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Gamell family were firmly established in the historic city of York. During this period, York served as a vital hub for trade and administration in the north, and families living there often participated in the local craft guilds or merchant networks that defined the city’s economy. The transition of the name from a descriptive Norse term into a stable family surname reflects the blending of Viking heritage with the evolving social structures of seventeenth-century England. As these early ancestors settled in York, they became part of a long tradition of northern families who helped shape the civic and cultural life of the region during the early modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gamel
Old Norse word meaning old or aged.
This name
GamellA patronymic surname derived from an ancient personal name signifying an elderly or venerable individual.
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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hammerHonest labour, and the smith's craft
hammerHonest labour, and the smith's craft
