Map of England showing where the Handford arms are recorded
The Handford arms were recorded in Somerset, c. 1620.
Somerset was rich farming country with a thick scattering of manor houses. Its gentry were numerous and long-settled, and a settled landed family almost always ended up with 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 Handford 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 Somerset.
Origin & History of the Handford Family in England
The surname Handford is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from Old English words that describe a ford, or a shallow river crossing, located near a place where broom or similar shrubs grew. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Somerset, England. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Handford family were living in this region during a time of significant social and religious change. As the family grew, they became part of the local agricultural and parish life that defined rural English communities during the Stuart period. Their history reflects the common experience of families who lived in the English countryside for generations, leaving behind traces in local tax rolls and church registers that document their daily lives and movements.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hane-ford
A river crossing located near a place frequented by wild cocks.
This name
HandfordDerived from Old English elements referring to a ford associated with a rooster or wild bird.
also spelled
Handforth
Hanford
Related arms
Hanfordvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Mills, A.D., A Dictionary of English Place-Names, 1998
The National Archives, Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Lay Subsidy Rolls, 1620
Somerset Archives and Local Studies, Diocese of Bath and Wells: Parish Registers, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
