A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hamersley family of England.
Reg. 8020 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
ramLeadership and authority
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Gu. three rams' heads couped or”
OxfordLondon · Oxford, c. 1614
Where the Hamersley Arms Were Recorded
Oxford
Map of England showing where the Hamersley arms are recorded
The Hamersley arms were recorded in Oxford, c. 1614.
Oxfordshire was farming country with the university at its centre, and both produced families of standing. Scholars and lawyers who did well bought manors nearby, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of 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 Hamersley 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 Oxford.
Origin & History of the Hamersley Family in England
The Hamersley family name is rooted in the geography of medieval England, likely originating from a place name that combined old descriptive terms for a woodland clearing or a rocky meadow. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in Oxford, where they became integrated into the city’s social and professional life. Records from 1614 confirm that members of the family were active residents during this period, a time when Oxford was a major center for trade and academic growth. As the family grew, they moved into various roles within the local community, reflecting the broader patterns of social mobility seen in English families of that era. Their early history illustrates how a surname tied to a specific landscape could eventually become associated with the urban development and civic administration of a historic university town.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hamersley
Derived from Old English elements meaning hammer and woodland clearing.
This name
HamersleyRefers to a dweller at a clearing near a hammer-shaped piece of land.
also spelled
Hamersly
Hamersleigh
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Clutterbuck, Robert. The History and Antiquities of the County of Hertford. 1815
Foster, Joseph. Alumni Oxonienses: The Members of the University of Oxford, 1500–1714. 1891
Oxford City Archives, Records of the City of Oxford, 1509–1783
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
ramLeadership and authority
ramLeadership and authority
