A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Girling family of England.
Reg. 7744 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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. on a bend per bend gu. and az. betw. two cotises engr. sa. three fleurs-de-lis or”
SuffolkStradbroke · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Girling Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Girling arms are recorded
The Girling arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1620.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat 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 Girling 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 Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Girling Family in England
The surname Girling has deep roots in the English county of Suffolk, where families bearing the name were well-established by the early seventeenth century. Etymologists generally trace the name back to Old English origins, suggesting it likely functioned as a nickname derived from the word "gyrle," which meant a young person or a youth. During the medieval period, such descriptive names were common ways to distinguish individuals within small village communities. By 1620, the Girling family was firmly integrated into the rural life of East Anglia, often working as yeoman farmers or tradespeople who contributed to the local economy. Their presence in regional tax records and parish registers from this era highlights a stable lineage that remained rooted in the Suffolk landscape for generations. This long-standing connection to the region suggests that the family was deeply woven into the social fabric of the English countryside long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gyrl
Middle English term for a young person or child.
This name
GirlingA patronymic or descriptive name referring to a young person or youth.
also spelled
Gyrling
Gierling
Related arms
Gyrlynvariant spelling
Rousrecorded with Girling, same area
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
Suffolk Archives, Parish registers and manorial records for Suffolk, 1600–1650
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
