Map of England showing where the Pickup arms are recorded
The Pickup 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 Pickup 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 Pickup Family in England
The surname Pickup is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. It is derived from the Old English words "pic," meaning a pointed hill or peak, and "hop," which refers to a small, enclosed valley. This suggests that the first families to carry the name lived near a distinctive landscape feature in the northern regions of England. By the year 1620, records confirm that the family was well-established in the county of Lancashire, particularly within the rugged terrain of the Rossendale Valley. During this period, the family members were likely involved in the local wool trade or small-scale farming, as these were the primary ways of life in the upland areas of northern England. Over time, as families moved from these rural valleys into growing towns, the name became a permanent marker of their ancestral connection to the hills of Lancashire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pic
A pointed object or a sharp peak.
This name
PickupDerived from a topographical location referring to a pointed hill or peak.
also spelled
Pyckup
Pickop
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Place-Names of Lancashire. 1922
Reaney, Percy Hide. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
The National Archives, Lancashire Quarter Sessions Records
Lancashire Archives, Records of the Rossendale Forest
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bordureA difference between branches of one family
wheelFortune's turning, and the carter's trade
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
bordureA difference between branches of one family
wheelFortune's turning, and the carter's trade
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
