Map of England showing where the Knapton arms are recorded
The Knapton 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 Knapton 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 Knapton Family in England
The surname Knapton is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than from a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from the village of Knapton, which is located in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The name itself combines the Old English word "cnapa," meaning a boy or a servant, with "tun," which refers to a farmstead or an enclosed settlement. By the early 17th century, members of the Knapton family were well-established in the city of York. These early records show them as active participants in the urban life of the region during a time of significant social and economic change. Because the family name was tied to a geographical location, it likely spread as individuals moved from their ancestral village into the growing commercial hub of York to pursue new opportunities in trade and civic administration.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cnap-tun
Old English for a hilltop settlement or a rounded hill town.
This name
KnaptonRefers to a person who lived at or near a settlement on a rounded hill.
also spelled
Knapten
Knaptyn
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names. 1960
Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York. Archbishop of York’s Diocesan Records. 1620
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