Map of England showing where the Latin arms are recorded
The Latin 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 Latin 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 Latin Family in England
The surname Latin is rooted in the linguistic and social structures of medieval England, where it likely originated as a descriptive occupational or status-based name. In the Middle Ages, the term "latin" was often used to identify a person who was literate or served as a clerk, as Latin was the primary language of administration, law, and the church. By the time members of the family were documented in York in 1620, the name had transitioned from a descriptor of one’s education or role into a fixed hereditary surname. Living in a major northern hub like York suggests that these early ancestors were likely part of the growing urban middle class, participating in the city's vibrant trade and civic life during the early seventeenth century. As the family established themselves in the region, the name became a permanent marker of their lineage, reflecting a history tied to the intellectual and professional traditions of English society.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Latinus
Derived from the Latin word for a person from Latium.
This name
LatinAn occupational or habitational name for someone from the Latium region of Italy.
also spelled
Latyn
Latten
Lattyn
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
