Map of England showing where the Medland arms are recorded
The Medland arms were recorded in Cornwall, c. 1730.
Cornwall was a county apart, with its own language and its own tight-knit gentry. Tin and the sea made money there, and families who made it bought land, which is what brought arms with it.
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.
George II of Great Britain
Sovereign of the period
George II of Great Britain
1727–1760
Reigning in England when the Medland 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 Cornwall.
Origin & History of the Medland Family in England
The surname Medland is primarily associated with the southwestern region of England, particularly the rugged landscape of Cornwall. Etymologists believe the name is locational in origin, likely derived from an Old English term describing someone who lived near a meadow or a piece of low-lying land. By the early 18th century, records confirm that the Medland family was well-established within Cornish parishes, where they often worked as farmers, miners, or skilled tradespeople. Life in Cornwall during this era was defined by close-knit village communities and a deep connection to the local geography. Because the name remained concentrated in this specific area for generations, it reflects the stable, localized nature of rural life in 18th-century Britain.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Maed-land
Old English words for meadow and land or territory.
This name
MedlandA person who lived on or near a meadow or grassy field.
also spelled
Medlan
Related arms
Glanvilerecorded with Medland, same area
Grills, or Gryllsrecorded with Medland, same area
Viguresrecorded with Medland, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1958
Hanks, Patrick, Dictionary of American Family Names, 2003
Cornwall Archives, Parish Registers of Cornwall, 1730
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
