A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gotham family of England.
Reg. 8338 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Or (another, ar.) a bend sa”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Gotham Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Gotham arms are recorded
The Gotham 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 Gotham 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 Gotham Family in England
The surname Gotham is rooted in the geography of medieval England, originating as a locative name for people who hailed from the village of Gotham in Nottinghamshire. The name itself is derived from the Old English words for goat and home, suggesting the settlement was once a place where goats were kept. By the early 17th century, members of the Gotham family had established a presence in the historic city of York. Records from 1620 confirm that these individuals were integrated into the local community, likely participating in the vibrant trade and craft guilds that defined York at the time. As the family settled into this northern urban center, they contributed to the social fabric of the region, moving away from their rural origins to become part of the growing population of one of England’s most important administrative and religious hubs.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gotan
Old English term for a goat enclosure or homestead.
This name
GothamRefers to a settlement or homestead associated with goats.
also spelled
Gothom
Gothome
Related arms
Goathamvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
