A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ghee family of England.
Reg. 7242 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
swordJustice, and military honour
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 sword in bend ar. hilt and pommel or”
LeicesterRathley · Leicester, c. 1619
Where the Ghee Arms Were Recorded
Leicester
Map of England showing where the Ghee arms are recorded
The Ghee arms were recorded in Leicester, c. 1619.
Leicestershire was grazing country, and wool and cattle made steady money rather than spectacular fortunes. Steady money bought manors, and manors are what brought families into the registers.
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 Ghee 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 Leicester.
Origin & History of the Ghee Family in England
The surname Ghee is a rare occupational or descriptive name that has deep roots in the English Midlands. By the year 1619, records confirm that members of the Ghee family were established in Leicester, a city with a long history of trade and craft. During this period, surnames were often derived from nicknames or the specific goods a person produced, and the name may have been linked to the local dairy industry or a specific regional dialect. As the family settled into the social fabric of Leicester, they likely participated in the local guilds and parish life that defined seventeenth-century English towns. Over time, the family name persisted through generations, moving from these early urban centers into the broader landscape of British history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ghee
Derived from the Old English word for a gift or offering.
This name
GheeA topographical or occupational surname likely referring to a person who lived near a specific landmark.
also spelled
Gey
Gea
Ghee
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Leicestershire Record Office, Bishop’s Transcripts of Leicestershire Parish Registers, 1619
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
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swordJustice, and military honour
swordJustice, and military honour
