Map of England showing where the Moseley arms are recorded
The Moseley arms were recorded in Stafford, c. 1620.
Staffordshire was mixed country of moorland, farmland and early ironworking. Its landed families were spread widely rather than concentrated, 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.
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 Moseley 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 Stafford.
Origin & History of the Moseley Family in England
The family name Moseley is of locative origin, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place rather than a trade or personal trait. The name comes from the Old English words "mos," meaning a mossy area or bog, and "leah," which refers to a clearing or meadow. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to adopt the name lived near a marshy woodland clearing. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Moseley family were well-established in the county of Stafford in England. During this period, families often took their surnames from the lands they farmed or the villages where they resided. As these individuals moved through the region, the name became a permanent way to identify their lineage and connection to the landscape of the English Midlands.
Moseley Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Mus-leah
Old English for mouse or moss and a woodland clearing.
This name
MoseleyRefers to a person who lived near a clearing inhabited by mice or covered in moss.
also spelled
Mosley
Mosly
Mozley
Mowsley
Related arms
Mosleyvariant spelling
Lofftrecorded with Moseley, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names. 1960
Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
Staffordshire Record Office. Diocese of Lichfield Episcopal Records. 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
axeThe execution of military duty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
axeThe execution of military duty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
