Map of England showing where the Pembroke arms are recorded
The Pembroke arms were recorded in Lancaster, c. 1620.
Lancashire was divided among a great many small landed families, more than most northern counties. Estates were passed down whole rather than split up, so the same names hold the same ground for centuries in the records.
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 Pembroke 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 Lancaster.
Origin & History of the Pembroke Family in England
The surname Pembroke is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from the town of Pembroke in Pembrokeshire, Wales, which takes its name from the Welsh words "pen" meaning head or end, and "bro" meaning land or region. While the name is tied to this Welsh geography, members of the family migrated across England over the centuries. By 1620, records confirm that the family had established a presence in Lancaster. During this era, families often moved to growing market towns like Lancaster to pursue new opportunities in trade and local governance. This relocation reflects the broader patterns of internal migration in seventeenth-century England, as families moved away from their ancestral roots to build new lives in emerging regional centers.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Penfro
Welsh for headland or promontory.
This name
PembrokeDerived from a Welsh place name referring to a settlement located at a headland or river mouth.
also spelled
Pembrok
Pembroch
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, 1991
orlePreservation, and protection in battle
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
orlePreservation, and protection in battle
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
