Map of England showing where the Glastonbury arms are recorded
The Glastonbury arms were recorded in Dorset, c. 1620.
Dorset was quiet farming and grazing country along the south coast. Its gentry were middling rather than grand, but they held their manors for a very long time, and long holding is what puts a name in the records.
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 Glastonbury 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 Dorset.
Origin & History of the Glastonbury Family in England
The surname Glastonbury is a locative name, meaning it was originally taken from the famous town of Glastonbury in Somerset, England. People who moved away from the town were often identified by their place of origin, leading to the name being adopted by families as they settled in new areas. By 1620, records confirm that members of the family were established in the county of Dorset. During this period, families often moved between neighboring counties in the West Country to find better farmland or new trade opportunities. Because the name is tied to a specific geographic location, it suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely residents of the town before the family line eventually migrated south toward the coast.
Glastonbury Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Glaestingaburg
The fortified place of the family or followers of Glaest.
This name
GlastonburyDerived from a place name in Somerset, England, referring to a stronghold or town.
also spelled
Glastonbury
Glastonbery
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
Dorset History Centre, Quarter Sessions Records, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
