Map of England showing where the Langston arms are recorded
The Langston arms were recorded in Oxford, c. 1566.
Oxfordshire was farming country with the university at its centre, and both produced families of standing. Scholars and lawyers who did well bought manors nearby, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of 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.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in England when the Langston 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 Oxford.
Origin & History of the Langston Family in England
The surname Langston is a locational name that originated in England, likely derived from the Old English words for a long stone or a long town. By the mid-sixteenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the university city of Oxford. Records from 1566 confirm that members of the Langston family were active within the city, where they participated in the local social and professional life of the era. As the family grew, they became integrated into the regional history of Oxfordshire, often appearing in legal documents and parish registers. These early ancestors were part of the rising middle class that helped shape the administrative and academic landscape of Oxford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Langston Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Lang tun
Old English words for long and settlement or town.
This name
LangstonRefers to a person who lived in a long settlement or an elongated village.
also spelled
Langstoun
Related arms
Langfordrecorded with Langston, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Oxfordshire Archives, Diocese of Oxford, Parish Registers of St. Mary the Virgin, 1566
Wood, Anthony, Historia et Antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis, 1674
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
