A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Masser family of England.
cinquefoilHope and joySir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Sa. a cinquefoil or”
The Masser 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.
Reigning in England when the Masser arms are first recorded.
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 Masser has roots that connect to the social and professional landscape of seventeenth-century England. By 1620, records confirm that members of the Masser family were established in the historic city of York. During this period, York served as a vital northern hub for trade and administration, suggesting that early ancestors likely participated in the local merchant guilds or skilled crafts that defined the city’s economy. The name itself is often thought to derive from occupational or descriptive origins, potentially linking early family members to the role of a mason or a person involved in stone construction. As these families settled into the urban environment of York, they became part of a growing class of citizens who helped shape the civic life of the region. Their presence in such a significant administrative center indicates that the family was well-integrated into the local community during a time of great social change in England.
Old French term for a heavy club or mace weapon.
