A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Lacey family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Az. three bendlets erm”
The Lacey 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.
Reigning in England when the Lacey arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Lacey originates from the Old French word *laci*, which was a locative surname used to describe someone who came from the town of Lassy in Normandy. Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, families bearing this name settled across various regions of the country, gradually establishing roots in northern cities like York. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Lacey family were well-established residents of York, where they participated in the social and economic life of the city. During this period, the name was often associated with families who held land or engaged in local trade, reflecting the broader movement of people who helped shape the urban landscape of northern England. As the family grew, they became a part of the local history that defined the region for generations.
A place name referring to a location in Normandy, France.
