Map of England showing where the Hitchings arms are recorded
The Hitchings arms were recorded in Cornwall, c. 1620.
Cornwall was a county apart, with its own language and its own tight-knit gentry. Tin and the sea made money there, and families who made it bought land, which is what brought arms with it.
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 Hitchings 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 Cornwall.
Origin & History of the Hitchings Family in England
The family name Hitchings is a patronymic surname, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son or descendant of someone named Hitchin. The name Hitchin itself began as a diminutive form of the name Richard, evolving through the nickname Hitch. By the early 17th century, the family was well-established in the rugged landscape of Cornwall. Records confirm that members of the Hitchings family were living in this southwestern region of England by 1620. During this period, families in Cornwall often worked in agriculture, fishing, or the growing tin mining industry. Because Cornwall was somewhat isolated from the rest of England by geography, families like the Hitchings often stayed in the same local parishes for many generations. This helped the name remain concentrated in the area as the family grew and expanded across the Cornish countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hitchin
A diminutive form of the Germanic name Richard meaning brave ruler.
This name
HitchingsA patronymic surname indicating son of the brave ruler or son of Richard.
also spelled
Hitchins
Hitchings
Hetchins
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
Cornwall Archives, Parish Register Transcripts for the Deanery of Penwith, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
lionCourage, strength and royalty
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lionCourage, strength and royalty
