Map of England showing where the Pomfret arms are recorded
The Pomfret arms were recorded in Essex, c. 1620.
Essex lay close enough to London for City money to buy land there. Merchants who prospered moved out to estates within a day's ride, and a new landowner almost always wanted arms to go with the ground.
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 Pomfret 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 Essex.
Origin & History of the Pomfret Family in England
The surname Pomfret is a locational name that originated from the town of Pontefract in West Yorkshire. The name is derived from the Latin words pons and fractus, which translate to broken bridge. Over several centuries, the spelling evolved as the family moved away from their ancestral home in the north. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the Pomfret family were established in the county of Essex. During this period, families often moved to find new opportunities in agriculture or trade within the growing communities near London. The presence of the family in Essex suggests they were part of the steady migration of people who carried their regional identities across England as they sought to build new lives in different parts of the country.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pons Fractus
Latin for broken bridge.
This name
PomfretAn English habitational name derived from the town of Pontefract, referring to a location near a broken bridge.
also spelled
Pontefract
Pumfret
Related arms
Pumfreyvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
The National Archives, Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers, 1620
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
