A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gledhill family of England.
Reg. 3092 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Az. three lozenges in fess ar”
EnglandBarkisland, c. 1612
Where the Gledhill Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Gledhill arms are recorded
The Gledhill arms were recorded in Barkisland, c. 1612.
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 Gledhill 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 Gledhill Family in England
The surname Gledhill is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal nickname. The name is derived from the Old English words "gleoda," meaning a kite or bird of prey, and "hyll," meaning a hill. This suggests that the first people to carry the name lived near a hill frequented by these birds, likely located in the rugged landscape of the West Riding of Yorkshire. By the early 17th century, the family had established a firm presence in the region, with records confirming their residence in York by 1612. Over time, the family spread from these rural hillside origins into the growing urban centers of Northern England, where they became integrated into the local communities as the name became a permanent fixture of the area.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gled-hyll
Old English for hawk or kite and a hill or slope.
This name
GledhillA topographical name for someone who lived on a hill frequented by birds of prey.
also spelled
Gledhyll
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
Smith, Albert Hugh, The Place-Names of the West Riding of Yorkshire, 1961
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Quarter Sessions Records, 1612
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lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
