Map of England showing where the Norden arms are recorded
The Norden arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1620.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats of 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 Norden 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 Kent.
Origin & History of the Norden Family in England
The surname Norden is primarily geographical in its origin, derived from the Old English word for north. It was historically used to identify individuals who lived in the northern part of a village or town, or perhaps those who had migrated from a northern region to settle elsewhere. By the early seventeenth century, the name was well-established in the county of Kent, England. Records confirm that members of the family were living in this southeastern region by 1620, where they were likely engaged in the agricultural and trade activities common to the area at that time. As a locative name, it reflects how early English surnames were often created simply by describing the physical surroundings of a person’s home. Over the following centuries, the family name spread from these rural Kentish roots as descendants moved to other parts of the country and eventually across the globe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Nord
Old Norse term referring to the cardinal direction of the north.
This name
NordenA topographic name for someone who lived in the northern part of a settlement or region.
also spelled
Nordon
Nordin
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers, 1620
Kent History and Library Centre, Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury Probate Records, 1620
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
otterOne who lives life to the full
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
otterOne who lives life to the full
