A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Kastor family of England.
Reg. 9684 · English, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Sa. an eagle displ. barry of ten ar. and gu”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Kastor Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Kastor arms are recorded
The Kastor 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.
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 Kastor 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 England.
Origin & History of the Kastor Family in England
The family name Kastor carries a history deeply rooted in the northern English landscape, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the city of York as early as 1620. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious life, and families living there were often involved in the skilled crafts or merchant guilds that defined the city’s economy. The name itself is thought to be a variation of older occupational or locative surnames, potentially linked to the Roman history of the region where the ancient site of Castra served as a military base. As the family established themselves in York, they became part of the local social fabric, navigating the significant political and religious shifts that characterized seventeenth-century England. By settling in such a prominent historical hub, the early Kastors were positioned within a community that valued record-keeping, which allows us to trace their presence through parish registers and civic documents from the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Castor
Derived from the Greek word for a beaver or a twin.
This name
KastorAn occupational or habitational name referring to someone living near a Roman fort or camp.
also spelled
Caster
Kastor
Castre
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Baines, Edward, History, Directory and Gazetteer of the County of York, 1822
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
Palliser, D.M., Tudor York, 1979
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
