A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grimstead family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Gu. two bars vair”
The Grimstead 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.
Reigning in England when the Grimstead arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Grimstead is of English origin and is classified as a locative name, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place. The name is composed of Old English elements that suggest a settlement or homestead associated with a person named Grim. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the historic city of York. Records confirm that members of the family were living there by 1620, a time when York served as a vital center for trade and administration in Northern England. Families in this region during the early 1600s were often deeply integrated into the local economy, working as merchants, craftsmen, or members of the city guilds. The survival of the name in York archives from this period indicates that the Grimsteads were settled, contributing to the social and civic life of the city as it navigated the challenges of the Stuart era.
Old Norse for mask or ghost and Old English for place.
