Map of England showing where the Land arms are recorded
The Land 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 Land 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 Land Family in England
The surname Land is a topographic name, which means it was originally given to people based on the specific landscape where they lived. In medieval England, families often adopted names that described their connection to a particular plot of earth or a farmstead. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Land family were well-established in the historic city of York. During this period, York was a major center for trade and religious life, and families living there were often involved in the city’s bustling merchant guilds or local craft industries. Because the name is rooted in the simple Old English word for soil or territory, it suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely farmers or landowners who identified strongly with the fields they cultivated. Over time, as these families moved from rural areas into urban centers like York, the name became a permanent marker of their heritage and their long-standing ties to the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
land
Old English word referring to a specific territory, ground, or soil.
This name
LandA topographic name for someone who lived on or owned a specific piece of land.
also spelled
Laund
Launde
Lannde
Related arms
Lanndevariant 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
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York City Chamberlains' Account Rolls, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
