Map of England showing where the Hemlock arms are recorded
The Hemlock 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 Hemlock 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 Hemlock Family in England
The surname Hemlock is a topographic name, meaning it was originally given to people who lived near a prominent patch of the poisonous hemlock plant. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Hemlock family were well-established residents of York, England. During this period, the city was a bustling center for trade and religious life, and families like the Hemlocks were often involved in local craftsmanship or small-scale agriculture. Because the name is derived from a common wild plant, it likely emerged independently in different rural areas before these families eventually settled in urban centers like York. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Northern England, contributing to the local community as laborers and tradespeople during the early seventeenth century.
Hemlock Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
hymlic
Old English term referring to a hollow-stemmed poisonous plant.
This name
HemlockA locational surname derived from a place where the poisonous plant grew.
also spelled
Henlok
Henloke
Henlak
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
York City Archives, York Freemen’s Register, 1272–1759
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