Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ar. three legs couped at the thigh gu”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hosey 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)“Ar. three legs couped at the thigh gu”

The Hosey arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried 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.
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 family name Hosey has deep roots that connect to the historic city of York, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1620. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious activity, and families like the Hoseys were often part of the growing urban population that supported the city's economy. The name itself is thought to be a variation of older occupational or descriptive surnames that evolved as people moved into towns and needed to distinguish themselves from their neighbors. By the seventeenth century, the Hosey family was well-established within the local community, likely participating in the daily life and civic duties that defined life in Northern England. Their presence in the city during this time suggests they were part of the foundational fabric of York, contributing to the local culture and history long before the modern era.
A Middle English term for stockings or leg coverings.