Map of England showing where the Kent arms are recorded
The Kent 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 Kent 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 Kent Family in England
The surname Kent is a locative name, meaning it was originally used to identify people who came from the county of Kent in southeastern England. In the medieval period, as populations grew and people began to move away from their home villages, it became common practice to label individuals by their place of origin. By the time the family established a presence in York around 1620, the name had been in use for several centuries as a way to distinguish families in northern trade hubs. Life in seventeenth-century York was defined by the city's role as a center for commerce and religion, and families with this name were likely integrated into the merchant or artisan classes that kept the city running. Because the name was tied to a specific geographic region, it serves as a historical marker of how families migrated from the south of England toward the northern administrative centers during the early modern era.
Kent Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Cantium
A Celtic word referring to a coastal district or borderland.
This name
KentA topographic name for someone who lived in the county of Kent.
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
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York City Chamberlains' Accounts, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
