A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grimmer family of England.
Reg. 2250 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Vert three eagles displ. or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Grimmer Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Grimmer arms are recorded
The Grimmer 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 Grimmer 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 Grimmer Family in England
The surname Grimmer is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Northern Europe, likely originating as a descriptive nickname or a locational identifier. In Old German and Old Norse, the term often related to someone who was stern, grim, or formidable in appearance. By the early 17th century, members of the Grimmer family were well-established in the historic city of York, England. Living in a major urban center like York during the 1620s suggests that the family was likely integrated into the city’s active trade and merchant networks. During this period, York served as a vital hub for commerce and administration in Northern England, and families living there often participated in the local guilds or the civic life of the parish. These early records indicate that the Grimmer name was already a settled part of the English social fabric long before the massive migrations of later centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grim
Old Norse term meaning fierce, masked, or helmeted.
This name
GrimmerA descriptive occupational or habitational name for a stern or severe individual.
also spelled
Grimmer
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
