Map of England showing where the Maddox arms are recorded
The Maddox arms were recorded in Wormley, c. 1676.
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.
Charles II of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles II of England
1660–1685
Reigning in England when the Maddox 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 Maddox Family in England
The surname Maddox is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son of a man named Madoc. The name Madoc itself comes from ancient Welsh roots and is often translated to mean fortunate or good. While the name has deep ties to Wales, branches of the family moved across the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. By 1676, records confirm that members of the Maddox family were established in York, Virginia. These early settlers were part of a wave of migration that saw families seeking new opportunities in the Chesapeake Bay region. Life for these early ancestors involved clearing land, farming tobacco, and navigating the challenges of a developing frontier society. Their presence in York serves as a clear link to the broader movement of families who helped shape the early history of the American colonies.
Maddox Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Madoc
A Welsh personal name derived from the word for fortunate or good.
This name
MaddoxA patronymic surname meaning son of Madoc, signifying a descendant of a fortunate or good person.
also spelled
Maddocks
Madocks
Related arms
Maddocksvariant spelling
Madocksvariant spelling
Tookerecorded with Maddox, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Coldham, Peter Wilson, The Complete Book of Emigrants, 1661-1699, 1990
York County, Virginia, York County Deeds, Orders, Wills, Etc., 1672-1676
Library of Virginia, Land Office Patents and Grants, 1623-1774
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