Map of England showing where the Grubbs arms are recorded
The Grubbs arms were recorded in Wilts, c. 1620.
Wiltshire was sheep country, and wool made money steadily for hundreds of years. Families who made it bought manors on the downs, and holding 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 Grubbs 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 Wilts.
Origin & History of the Grubbs Family in England
The surname Grubbs is rooted in the English language and likely originated as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor. In Middle English, the word "grub" referred to a short or thick-set person, which was a common way to identify individuals in small medieval communities. By the year 1620, historical records confirm that members of the Grubbs family were well-established in the county of Wiltshire. During this period, families in this region were often involved in agriculture or local trades, living in tight-knit rural parishes. As the name moved through generations, it transitioned from a simple nickname into a permanent family identifier that linked these early Wiltshire residents to their descendants.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grubbe
A Middle English term for a digger or someone who clears land.
This name
GrubbsAn occupational surname for a person who cleared stumps or dug in the earth.
also spelled
Grube
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Wiltshire Parish Registers, 1620
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