Map of England showing where the Letch arms are recorded
The Letch 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 Letch 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 Letch Family in England
The family name Letch has deep roots in the historic city of York, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1620. During this period, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, placing the family at the center of a bustling medieval city that was transitioning into the early modern era. The name itself likely originated as a topographical surname, which was a common way for people to identify themselves based on the local landscape where they lived or worked. In Middle English, the term "letch" or "leche" frequently referred to a stream, a muddy ditch, or a wet, boggy piece of land. It is probable that the earliest ancestors of the family were known by this name because they resided near such a water feature or on marshy ground in the Yorkshire countryside. By the early seventeenth century, the family had become part of the urban fabric of York, contributing to the local community as the city navigated the social and economic shifts of the Stuart period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
lece
Old English term referring to a physician or healer.
This name
LetchAn occupational surname for a person who practiced medicine or bloodletting.
also spelled
Lech
Leche
Related arms
Lechevariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Hey, David, The Oxford Guide to Family History, 2002
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records, 1620
The National Archives, Lay Subsidy Rolls for the City of York, 1620
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ringFidelity, and a promise kept
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
