A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the O'Dunn family of Britain.
Reg. 7343 · Britain, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à l'aigle ép. d'arg. C.: un lézard de sin., pass. au pied d'un arbre du même.”
Britainc. 1700
Where the O'Dunn Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of Britain showing where the O'Dunn arms are recorded
The O'Dunn arms were recorded in Britain, c. 1700.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Kent.
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 Britain in this period.
William III of England
Sovereign of the period
William III of England
1694–1702
Reigning in Britain when the O'Dunn arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Britain
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 Britain.
Origin & History of the O'Dunn Family in Britain
The surname O’Dunn is an anglicized variation of the Gaelic name Ó Duinn, which historically identifies descendants of a person named Dunn. While the name is deeply rooted in Irish heritage, the presence of the family in Kent by the year 1700 suggests a significant migration during a period of great social and political movement across the British Isles. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, many families moved from Ireland to England for work, trade, or to escape the instability caused by land conflicts and religious tensions. Settling in a region like Kent, which was a hub for agriculture and maritime commerce, indicates that these early ancestors were likely integrated into the local economy as skilled laborers or merchants. This transition from Ireland to the English countryside reflects the broader patterns of movement that defined the lives of many families during the early modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Donn
An Old Irish term meaning dark or brown-haired.
This name
O'DunnA patronymic surname signifying descendant of the dark-haired one.
also spelled
Odun
Dunn
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland, 1985
The National Archives, Kew, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
