Map of England showing where the Kendall arms are recorded
The Kendall 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 Kendall 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 Kendall Family in England
The surname Kendall is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific geographic location. It is derived from the town of Kendal in Westmorland, England, which was historically known as Kirkby-in-Kendal. The name itself comes from a combination of Old Norse and Old English words meaning the valley of the River Kent. By the early 17th century, families bearing this name had established themselves in various parts of England, including Leicester. Records from 1619 confirm that members of the Kendall family were active residents in Leicester during this period, likely participating in the local trade and civic life that defined the town. As the family moved away from their ancestral roots in the north, they carried the name as a marker of their geographic origin, eventually embedding it into the social fabric of the Midlands.
Kendall Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Caint
A Brythonic word meaning river or valley.
This name
KendallRefers to a person originating from the valley of the River Kent.
also spelled
Kendale
Kendell
Related arms
Ceindall, Cendall, Cendalle, or Ceudallvariant spelling
Crowleyrecorded with Kendall, same area
Donkinrecorded with Kendall, same area
Horsemanrecorded with Kendall, same area
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, 1958
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 1960
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers, 1619
Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, Leicester Borough Records, 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
