Map of England showing where the Hindson arms are recorded
The Hindson arms were recorded in Devon, c. 1620.
Devon was a county of small manors and seafaring families. Its gentry were spread thickly across the countryside, and money made at sea often bought an estate, which in turn brought 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 Hindson 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 Devon.
Origin & History of the Hindson Family in England
The surname Hindson is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son of someone named Hind. The name Hind itself likely began as a nickname derived from the Old English word for a female deer, or it may have been a shortened version of a longer Germanic name like Hindebert. By the time members of the family were documented in Devon in 1620, the name had become a stable hereditary surname passed down through generations. During the early seventeenth century, families in the West Country of England were often involved in local agriculture, trade, or the burgeoning maritime industries of the coastal ports. As the Hindson family established their roots in Devon, they became part of the social fabric of rural parish life, where their name was recorded in local church registers during baptisms, marriages, and burials. This transition from a descriptive nickname to a fixed family name reflects the broader shift in English naming customs during the late medieval and early modern periods.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hinde
A female red deer or a servant
This name
HindsonA patronymic surname meaning son of the person known as Hinde
also spelled
Hinderston
Hyndeston
Hynston
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1997
Devon Archives and Local Studies Service, Parish Registers of Devon, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
