Map of England showing where the Kendal arms are recorded
The Kendal arms were recorded in Leicester, c. 1619.
Leicestershire was grazing country, and wool and cattle made steady money rather than spectacular fortunes. Steady money bought manors, and manors are what brought families into the registers.
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 Kendal 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 Leicester.
Origin & History of the Kendal Family in England
The surname Kendal originates from a place name in the county of Westmorland, specifically the town of Kendal, which translates to the valley of the River Kent. During the medieval period, people often adopted the names of the towns or villages where they lived to help identify themselves to others. As families moved across England for work or trade, they carried these place-based names with them, eventually passing them down through generations as permanent surnames. By the time the family was recorded in Leicester in 1619, the name had already become well-established as a hereditary family identifier. These early members in Leicester were likely part of a growing urban population, contributing to the local economy and social structure of the city during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cendel
Old Norse for valley and Old English for river
This name
KendalA topographical name referring to a valley located on the River Kent.
also spelled
Kendale
Kendell
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
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
The National Archives, Leicestershire Parish Registers, 1619
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
