Map of England showing where the Loveday arms are recorded
The Loveday arms were recorded in Essex, c. 1620.
Essex lay close enough to London for City money to buy land there. Merchants who prospered moved out to estates within a day's ride, and a new landowner almost always wanted arms to go with the ground.
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 Loveday 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 Essex.
Origin & History of the Loveday Family in England
The surname Loveday carries a warm and friendly history that dates back to medieval England. It originated as a nickname, likely given to someone who was known for their cheerful personality or their role in settling disputes. In the Middle Ages, a "loveday" was a specific legal term for a day set aside for neighbors to resolve their disagreements peacefully through arbitration rather than through the courts. By the time the family was firmly established in Essex in 1620, the name had become a permanent hereditary surname passed down through generations. These early settlers in Essex were part of a long tradition of families who helped shape the local community, living through a period of significant social and political change in England. Their presence in the region during the early seventeenth century shows that the family had already put down deep roots in the English countryside long before many people began migrating to the American colonies.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
leof daeg
Old English words for dear or beloved and day.
This name
LovedayA medieval name often given to children born on a day set aside for settling disputes.
also spelled
Lovedey
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Essex Record Office, Quarter Sessions Rolls, 1620
Hanks, Patrick, Dictionary of American Family Names, 2003
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fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
