Map of England showing where the Penry arms are recorded
The Penry arms were recorded in Norfolk, c. 1620.
Norfolk grew rich on wool and grain, and its wealth was spread among many middling families rather than a few great ones. Households of that kind bought land and took arms, and the county holds a large share of English names.
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 Penry 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 Norfolk.
Origin & History of the Penry Family in England
The surname Penry is of Welsh origin, deriving from the words "pen," meaning head or top, and "ry," which is a mutation of "rhi," meaning a king or lord. This name likely began as a descriptive title for someone who lived at the top of a hill or held a position of local authority. While the name is deeply rooted in the Welsh landscape, families carrying the name began to migrate eastward into England during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. By 1620, records confirm that members of the Penry family had established a presence in Norfolk. This movement was common during the period as families sought new opportunities in the agricultural and trade centers of East Anglia. These early settlers helped integrate the name into the local record-keeping systems of English parishes, marking the transition of the family from their Welsh origins into the broader history of the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ap Henry
Welsh patronymic prefix meaning son of followed by the name Henry.
This name
PenryDerived from the Welsh patronymic form of the given name Henry, meaning home ruler.
also spelled
Penry
Penrie
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Morgan, T. J. and Morgan, P., Welsh Surnames, 1985
Norfolk Record Office, Parish Registers for the Diocese of Norwich, 1620
Reaney, P. H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
