A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Harston family of England.
Reg. 9366 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Ar. (another, erm.) a sun in splendour gu”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Harston Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Harston arms are recorded
The Harston 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 Harston 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 Harston Family in England
The surname Harston is a locative name, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place where the family lived or held land. Etymologically, the name is rooted in Old English, likely combining the word "har," meaning grey or hoary, with "tun," meaning an enclosure, village, or homestead. This suggests that the earliest ancestors bearing this name were associated with a grey-colored stone settlement or a village marked by prominent grey features. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Harston family were well-established in the city of York. During this period, York was a significant northern center for trade and administration, and families living there were often involved in the merchant guilds or local craft industries that defined the city’s economy. As the family grew, they moved beyond their initial geographical roots, carrying the name across the region and eventually into broader historical records as they participated in the civic life of northern England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Heort-tun
Old English for stag or deer enclosure or settlement.
This name
HarstonRefers to a person who lived at or near a farmstead associated with deer.
also spelled
Harston
Harsten
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 1960
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
