A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hearing family of England.
Reg. 0334 · English, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Or, on a pale betw. two palets gu. three eagles displ. of the first”
SuffolkEye · Suffolk, c. 1620
Where the Hearing Arms Were Recorded
Suffolk
Map of England showing where the Hearing arms are recorded
The Hearing arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1620.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, 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 Hearing 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 Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Hearing Family in England
The surname Hearing is rooted in the historical landscape of East Anglia, with documented evidence placing the family in the county of Suffolk as early as 1620. During the seventeenth century, the name was closely tied to the agricultural and coastal communities of this region, where families often lived in small parishes for generations. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term or a nickname, possibly referring to a person’s keen sense of listening or a physical characteristic that stood out to their neighbors. As the family established roots in Suffolk, they became part of the local social fabric, participating in the daily life of rural England during a period of significant economic change. By settling in this specific area, the early members of the Hearing family contributed to the local history of the region, leaving behind records in parish registers and tax rolls that track their presence through the centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Herian
Derived from the Old English word for a warrior or army.
This name
HearingA patronymic surname indicating a descendant of someone associated with military service or a warrior.
also spelled
Hering
Herring
Related arms
Heringvariant spelling
Herringvariant spelling
Cutlerrecorded with Hearing, same area
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
Suffolk Archives, Parish Registers of Suffolk, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
