Map of England showing where the Maidstone arms are recorded
The Maidstone arms were recorded in Essex, c. 1614.
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 Maidstone 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 Maidstone Family in England
The family name Maidstone is a locative surname, which means it originated from a specific geographic location. It is derived from the town of Maidstone in Kent, which was historically known as *Maidestane* in Old English. People who moved away from this town often adopted the name to identify their place of origin to others in their new communities. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Essex. Records from 1614 confirm that members of the family were living and working in this region during the reign of King James I. At that time, families often settled in rural parishes where they contributed to the local agricultural economy and participated in the social life of their villages. This migration from Kent to Essex reflects the common movement of families seeking new land or trade opportunities in neighboring English counties during the early modern period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Maegda-tun
Old English for maiden or girl and an enclosed settlement or town.
This name
MaidstoneRefers to a town associated with a maiden or a place belonging to a young woman.
also spelled
Maideston
Maydstone
Related arms
Maidestonvariant spelling
Maidestonevariant spelling
Maydestonevariant spelling
Maydstonevariant 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 British Surnames, 1958
Essex Record Office, Parish Registers of Essex, 1614
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, 1960
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axeThe execution of military duty
axeThe execution of military duty
