A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grenfell family of England.
Reg. 3968 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
harpWell-tuned governance and love of music
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. three organ rests or”
BuckinghamTaplow House · Buckingham, c. 1620
Where the Grenfell Arms Were Recorded
Buckingham
Map of England showing where the Grenfell arms are recorded
The Grenfell arms were recorded in Buckingham, c. 1620.
Buckinghamshire was quiet farming country on the road out of London. Court officials and lawyers bought manors there within easy reach of the capital, and a manor was the usual reason to take 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 Grenfell 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 Buckingham.
Origin & History of the Grenfell Family in England
The surname Grenfell is a locative name, meaning it originally identified a person by the place where they lived. It is derived from the Old French words "gren," meaning green, and "fel," meaning a hill or open field. While the name has deep roots in the southwestern region of Cornwall, members of the family were firmly established in the town of Buckingham by 1620. During this period, the family began to integrate into the local social and economic life of the English Midlands. As they moved away from their ancestral lands, they transitioned from being associated with a specific landscape to becoming a recognized lineage in the growing towns of the seventeenth century. This migration reflects the broader movement of families across England as they sought new opportunities in trade and local governance during the early modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gren + Fell
Green or grassy hill or mountain
This name
GrenfellDerived from a location in Cornwall referring to a green hill or mountain pasture.
also spelled
Grenfill
Grynfell
Related arms
Grenfyldevariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Buckinghamshire Archives, Parish Register of Buckingham, PR 27/1/1, 1620
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harpWell-tuned governance and love of music
harpWell-tuned governance and love of music
