Map of England showing where the Hollings arms are recorded
The Hollings arms were recorded in Stafford, c. 1620.
Staffordshire was mixed country of moorland, farmland and early ironworking. Its landed families were spread widely rather than concentrated, and each holding brought its own claim to 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 Hollings 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 Stafford.
Origin & History of the Hollings Family in England
The surname Hollings is a locative name, meaning it originally described the place where a family lived. It is derived from the Old English words for a clearing or a meadow where holly trees grew. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Hollings family were well-established in the town of Stafford, England. During this period, families often took their names from the specific landscape features near their homes or farms. As the family grew, they became integrated into the local community life of the Staffordshire region. This history reflects a time when surnames were transitioning from simple descriptions of a person's home to permanent family identifiers passed down through generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
holegn
Old English term referring to the holly tree or shrub.
This name
HollingsRefers to a person who lived near a place where holly trees grew.
also spelled
Hollings
Hollinges
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
Staffordshire Record Office, Parish Registers of St. Mary’s, Stafford, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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