A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Haden family of England.
Reg. 7421 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
legStrength and swiftness
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 (sometimes, ar.) a human leg embowed, couped at the thigh az”
StaffordHaden Hill · Stafford, c. 1620
Where the Haden Arms Were Recorded
Stafford
Map of England showing where the Haden arms are recorded
The Haden arms were recorded in Stafford, c. 1620.
Staffordshire was mixed country of moorland, farmland and early ironworking. Its landed families were spread widely rather than concentrated, and each holding brought its own claim to 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 Haden 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 Stafford.
Origin & History of the Haden Family in England
The Haden family name is deeply rooted in the history of the English Midlands, with records confirming their presence in the county of Stafford as early as 1620. The name is generally considered a topographical surname, which means it likely originated from a description of the landscape where the first family members lived. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words for a hay-covered valley or a clearing used for storing hay. During the seventeenth century, families in this region were often involved in local agriculture or the growing metalworking trades that defined the area. As the family established themselves in Stafford, they became part of the local community structure, contributing to the development of the parish through their work and daily lives. Over the generations, the name remained closely tied to the geography of the English countryside, marking the family as long-standing residents of the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hæden
Old English term referring to a heathen or non-Christian person.
This name
HadenA topographic name for someone who lived on or near a heath or uncultivated land.
also spelled
Hadin
Hayden
Haddon
Hadein
Related arms
Haddonvariant spelling
Haidonvariant spelling
Haydenvariant 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. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Staffordshire Record Office, Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry: Parish Registers of Stafford, 1620
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legStrength and swiftness
legStrength and swiftness
