Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ar. a leopard's face betw. two swords erect gu”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gravett family of Ireland.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ar. a leopard's face betw. two swords erect gu”
The Gravett arms were recorded in Antrim, c. 1575.
Antrim was north-eastern Irish country settled from Scotland in the seventeenth century. The new landowners took formal grants and had them recorded, so their arms are unusually well documented.
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 Ulster King of Arms granted coats of arms to individuals who proved their social standing and good character. These symbols were typically inherited by all legitimate descendants of the original holder. If a family branch wanted a unique look, they could apply for a specific change to their design through the office to ensure their identity remained distinct.
The Gravett family name has deep roots that trace back to the rugged landscapes of County Antrim by the year 1575. During this period, the region was defined by intense political shifts and the expansion of English influence into Gaelic territories. Families living in Antrim at this time often occupied lands near the coast, where they navigated the complex social structures of the late sixteenth century. The name itself likely evolved from older linguistic traditions, possibly linked to occupational roles or descriptive nicknames common in medieval naming patterns. As the family established itself in Northern Ireland, they became part of the local fabric, enduring the challenges of a frontier society while contributing to the regional history of the province. Over generations, the Gravetts maintained a presence in the area, adapting to the changing economic and social conditions that defined life in Antrim throughout the early modern era.
Derived from the Old French word for a grove or wood.
