Map of England showing where the Hicklin arms are recorded
The Hicklin arms were recorded in Northampton, c. 1620.
Northamptonshire was grazing and hunting country in the middle of England, thick with manor houses. Its families 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 Hicklin 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 Northampton.
Origin & History of the Hicklin Family in England
The surname Hicklin is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person by their father’s given name. It is a diminutive form of the name Hick, which was a common medieval nickname for Richard. By adding the suffix "lin," the name effectively meant "little son of Richard." Historical records confirm that members of the Hicklin family were established in Northampton, England, by the early 17th century. During this period, families often lived in small, tight-knit communities where they worked as tradespeople or farmers. Because surnames were still becoming standardized in England at this time, the spelling of the name often shifted depending on how a local clerk heard it spoken. The presence of the family in Northampton during the 1620s suggests they were part of the growing merchant and artisan class that helped define the social landscape of the English Midlands before the onset of the Civil War.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hick
A medieval diminutive form of the name Richard meaning brave ruler.
This name
HicklinA patronymic surname indicating a descendant of a person named Richard.
also spelled
Hicklyng
Hicklen
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. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Northamptonshire Archives, Northampton St Sepulchre Parish Registers, 1620
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
