Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Or, a lion ramp. az”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Mapson family lines. Documented in 3 countries.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Or, a lion ramp. az”

The Mapson arms were recorded in Huntingdon, c. 1620.
Huntingdonshire was small, flat fen-edge country. Drainage made new farmland and new fortunes, and families who gained by it bought manors and took arms to match.
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.
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.
The surname Mapson is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son of someone named Mabb or Mab. This name was a common medieval nickname for Matthew or Mabel. By the early 17th century, the family had established a clear presence in the English county of Huntingdonshire. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Mapson family were living in the town of Huntingdon during this period. At that time, Huntingdon was a bustling market town and a center for local government. Families like the Mapsons were often involved in the agricultural or trade-based economy that defined life in the English Midlands. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the community life of the region for generations.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ar. a bend wavy az. betw. two spur-rowels in chief and a fleur-de-lis in base gu”

The Mapson arms were recorded in Ayr, c. 1748.
Ayrshire was farming country along Scotland's south-west coast, held in a great many small estates. Its lairds were numerous rather than rich, and each holding brought its own claim to 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.
Scottish heraldry is unique because it treats a coat of arms as a piece of personal property protected by law. Only one person can own a specific design at any given time. When a family grows, the head keeps the original shield while other relatives must apply for their own distinct version with slight changes to prove their specific identity.
The surname Mapson is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son of a man named Map. While the name is often associated with English roots, historical records confirm that members of the Mapson family were well-established in the coastal town of Ayr, Scotland, by the middle of the eighteenth century. During this period, Ayr was a bustling center for maritime trade and local commerce, providing a stable environment for families to settle and grow. The presence of the family in this specific region suggests they were likely involved in the local trades or agricultural life that defined the Ayrshire landscape at the time. By 1748, the name was already part of the local social fabric, reflecting the broader movement of families across the British Isles during the era. These early residents of Ayr helped anchor the name within Scottish history, marking the transition of the family from their ancestral origins into the specific cultural identity of the Scottish Lowlands.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ar. a lion ramp. with two heads az”

The Mapson arms were recorded in Ireland, c. 1645.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Dublin.
Dublin was the seat of government in Ireland and the place where grants were sought and recorded. Families with business at the castle or the courts settled nearby, and settling there put their arms on record.
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 Ulster King of Arms granted coats of arms to individuals who proved their social standing and good character. These symbols were typically inherited by all legitimate descendants of the original holder. If a family branch wanted a unique look, they could apply for a specific change to their design through the office to ensure their identity remained distinct.
The Mapson family name has roots in Ireland that stretch back to at least the mid-seventeenth century, with documented evidence of the family residing in Dublin by 1645. During this period, Dublin was a bustling center of trade and political transition, and the presence of the Mapson name suggests the family was likely part of the growing urban class of merchants or skilled craftsmen. The name itself is thought to be a patronymic, meaning it was originally formed by combining a given name with the suffix "son" to denote lineage. As the family established themselves in the city, they navigated the complex social and economic shifts of the era, which saw Ireland undergoing significant changes in land ownership and governance. By maintaining a presence in the capital, the early Mapsons were positioned at the heart of Irish civic life, contributing to the local community as the city expanded throughout the seventeenth century.
A medieval pet form of the name Mabel or Abigail.


