A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hackwell family of England.
Reg. 7950 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
horseReadiness to serve king and country
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Or, an ass's head erased sa”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Hackwell Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Hackwell arms are recorded
The Hackwell 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 Hackwell 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 Hackwell Family in England
The surname Hackwell is a topographic name that likely originated from individuals who lived near a specific type of landscape feature. In Old English, the name is thought to derive from a combination of words referring to a wooded valley or a clearing used for cutting wood. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Hackwell family were well-established in the city of York. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious life in Northern England. Families living there often worked as skilled tradespeople or merchants who contributed to the local economy. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the region, leaving behind traces in local parish registers and legal documents that track their movement through the centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Haca and wella
A personal name of Germanic origin and a spring or stream.
This name
HackwellRefers to a person who lived near a spring or stream owned by Haca.
also spelled
Hackwill
Hakwell
Hacwell
Hackewill
Related arms
Hackwillvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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horseReadiness to serve king and country
horseReadiness to serve king and country
