Map of England showing where the Pilling arms are recorded
The Pilling arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried 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 Pilling 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 England.
Origin & History of the Pilling Family in England
The surname Pilling is a locative name, which means it originally identified people by the place where they lived. It is derived from the village of Pilling in Lancashire, England. The name itself likely comes from the Old English words for a pool or a creek, suggesting that the first families to use the name lived near a marshy or coastal area. By the early 17th century, members of the Pilling family had migrated from their ancestral roots in the northwest to the historic city of York. Records confirm their presence in York by 1620, where they became part of the city's growing urban population. This movement reflects a common pattern of the era where families traveled from rural villages to major trade centers to seek new opportunities in commerce and craft.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pill
A creek or tidal inlet of water.
This name
PillingRefers to a person who lived near a tidal stream or creek.
also spelled
Pullen
Pullin
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, P.H. and Wilson, R.M. A Dictionary of English Surnames. 1991
Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. York Diocesan Probate Records
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chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
