Map of England showing where the Kerby arms are recorded
The Kerby 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 Kerby 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 Kerby Family in England
The family name Kerby is rooted in the Old Norse language, originating from the words "kirkja," meaning church, and "by," meaning a farmstead or village. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name likely lived near a prominent church or settled in a community defined by one. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Kerby family were well-established in the city of York. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious life in Northern England. Families living there often worked as skilled tradespeople or merchants who contributed to the city's growth. The presence of the Kerby name in such a historic location indicates that the family was integrated into the local social and economic fabric of the region during the early seventeenth century.
Kerby Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Kirkby
Old Norse words for church and settlement or village.
This name
KerbyDerived from a place name referring to a village containing a church.
also spelled
Kirby
Kirkby
Kerbie
Related arms
Kerkbyvariant spelling
Kerkebyvariant spelling
Kirbyvariant spelling
Kirkbyvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Smith, A.H., The Place-Names of the East Riding of Yorkshire and York, 1937
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records
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