Map of England showing where the Poultney arms are recorded
The Poultney arms were recorded in Leicester, c. 1620.
Leicestershire was grazing country, and wool and cattle made steady money rather than spectacular fortunes. Steady money bought manors, and manors are what brought families into the registers.
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 Poultney 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 Leicester.
Origin & History of the Poultney Family in England
The surname Poultney is a locative name, which means it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a nickname. It is derived from the village of Poultney, located in the parish of Misterton in Leicestershire, England. By the year 1620, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the county of Leicester. During this period, families often took the name of the village where they lived or held land to distinguish themselves from others in the region. As the family grew, individuals moved throughout the English Midlands, carrying the name with them and helping it spread beyond its original rural roots. This transition from a local place name to a hereditary surname reflects the way many English families identified themselves during the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pultney
A settlement or farmstead located near a pool or stream.
This name
PoultneyDerived from a locative surname referring to a place in Leicestershire, England.
also spelled
Pultney
Pulteney
Poulteney
Related arms
Poulteneyvariant spelling
Pulteneyvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Ekwall, Eilert. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names. 1960
Leicestershire Record Office. Parish Registers of Leicestershire. 1620
Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of British Surnames. 1958
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
