Map of England showing where the Holcombe arms are recorded
The Holcombe 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 Holcombe 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 Holcombe Family in England
The Holcombe family name originates from the rolling landscape of Devon, England, where it first appeared as a topographical surname. The name itself is derived from the Old English words "hol," meaning a hollow or valley, and "cumb," which refers to a deep, narrow valley. This suggests that the earliest members of the family were likely people who lived in or near a specific valley in the Devon countryside. By the year 1620, the family was well-established in this region, with records showing them as landowners and members of the local community. Over many generations, the family name became deeply tied to the geography of the West Country, reflecting a time when a person’s identity was closely linked to the specific piece of land they called home.
Holcombe Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Hol-cumb
Old English words for hollow or valley and a deep valley.
This name
HolcombeDerived from a topographical location referring to a settlement situated in a deep, hollow valley.
also spelled
Holcam
Holcum
Related arms
Holcam, and Holcanvariant spelling
Bucktonrecorded with Holcombe, same area
Cankrienrecorded with Holcombe, same area
Crossrecorded with Holcombe, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Devon Archives and Local Studies Service, Quarter Sessions Records, 1620
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