A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Horwood family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Sa. three bars erm. cotised or”
The Horwood arms were recorded in Huntingdon, c. 1620.
Huntingdonshire was small, flat fen-edge country. Drainage made new farmland and new fortunes, and families who gained by it bought manors and took arms to match.
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.
Reigning in England when the Horwood arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Horwood is a locational name that originated in England, typically referring to people who lived near a muddy or grey forest. The name is derived from the Old English words "horu," meaning dirt or mud, and "wudu," meaning wood. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the market town of Huntingdon. Records confirm that members of the Horwood family were living in this area by 1620, during a time when Huntingdon was a significant center for trade and local government. As the family settled into the region, they became part of the local social fabric, likely working in trades or agriculture common to the English countryside during the Stuart period. This early documentation in Huntingdon highlights the family's long-standing roots in the English Midlands.
Old English terms for a grey forest or a muddy wood.
