A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gloucester family of England.
Reg. 1448 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Gu. two bends or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Gloucester Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Gloucester arms are recorded
The Gloucester 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.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Gloucester 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 Gloucester Family in England
The surname Gloucester is a locative name, meaning it was originally adopted by individuals to identify the place from which they hailed. The name is derived from the ancient city of Gloucester in southwestern England, which traces its roots back to a Roman settlement known as Glevum. Over many centuries, families who moved away from this region often kept the name to maintain a connection to their ancestral home. By the early 17th century, the name had spread across the British Isles, including to the northern city of York. Records confirm that members of the Gloucester family were established residents of York by 1620, suggesting they had successfully integrated into the local merchant and trade communities of that time. This migration pattern reflects how surnames functioned as a historical record of movement, linking families in northern England to their geographical origins in the west.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Glevum
A Roman fort or settlement located in the Severn Valley.
This name
GloucesterRefers to the city of Gloucester, derived from the Roman name Glevum combined with the Old English word ceaster meaning fort.
also spelled
Glowcester
Gloster
Gloucestre
Related arms
Glowcestervariant spelling
Girardotrecorded with Gloucester, same area
Morinrecorded with Gloucester, 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
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
