A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gaynes family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Barry of six vair and gu”
The Gaynes 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.
Reigning in England when the Gaynes arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Gaynes traces its roots to the historic city of York, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1620. During this period, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, placing the family in a region defined by its deep medieval heritage and shifting social structures. The name itself likely evolved from a geographical descriptor or a nickname, reflecting the common practice of identifying individuals by their place of residence or a specific personal trait. As the family grew within the city, they became part of the local fabric, navigating the economic changes and religious tensions that defined seventeenth-century England. By maintaining a presence in such a prominent urban center, the early Gaynes family members were positioned to participate in the evolving professional and civic life of the region.
Derived from the Old Norse personal name Geini meaning to gain.
