Map of England showing where the Holliman arms are recorded
The Holliman arms were recorded in Devon, c. 1608.
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 Holliman 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 Holliman Family in England
The surname Holliman is rooted in the landscape of southwestern England, where it first appeared in the historical record within the county of Devon. By the year 1608, families bearing this name were already established members of the local community. The name is generally considered a topographic or locational surname, likely derived from the Old English words for a hollow or a valley combined with a term for a man or dweller. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name lived in or near a specific hollowed-out piece of land or a secluded valley. As these individuals moved through the rural parishes of Devon, the name became a permanent marker of their family identity, reflecting a deep connection to the geography of the English countryside during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Holyman
A person considered to be pious or religious.
This name
HollimanA locational or occupational surname referring to a holy man or a dweller in a holy place.
also spelled
Holeman
Holmon
Holleman
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Devon Archives, Quarter Sessions Records, 1608
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
dropletsTears, and grief borne with patience
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
dropletsTears, and grief borne with patience
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
