A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Moreland family of England.
Reg. 0349 · English, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Az. a griffin segreant or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Moreland Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Moreland arms are recorded
The Moreland 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.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Moreland 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 Moreland Family in England
The surname Moreland is a locative name, meaning it was originally used to describe people who lived near a moor or an expanse of open, uncultivated land. In the English language, the name combines the Old English words "mor," meaning moor or marsh, and "land," referring to a specific territory or district. By the year 1620, records indicate that members of the Moreland family were well-established in the historic city of York. During this period, families in northern England often adopted surnames based on the geography of their ancestral homesteads to distinguish themselves in growing urban centers. As the family settled in York, they became part of the local social fabric, likely participating in the trade and civic life that defined this important regional hub during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
mor and land
Old English terms for moor or wasteland and a defined territory.
This name
MorelandA topographical name for someone who lived near or on a moorland or uncultivated tract of land.
also spelled
Morland
Moorland
Morlande
Related arms
Morlandvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
York City Archives, York Freemen’s Register, 1272–1759
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griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
