Map of England showing where the Pridmore arms are recorded
The Pridmore arms were recorded in Dorset, c. 1620.
Dorset was quiet farming and grazing country along the south coast. Its gentry were middling rather than grand, but they held their manors for a very long time, and long holding is what puts a name 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 Pridmore 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 Dorset.
Origin & History of the Pridmore Family in England
The surname Pridmore is a locational name that likely originated from a specific place in England, though its exact roots remain a subject of historical study. The name is generally thought to be derived from an Old English phrase meaning a meadow near a brook or a clearing by a stream. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Dorset. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Pridmore family were living in this region during a time of significant social and agricultural change. As they settled into the local landscape, these early ancestors likely worked as farmers or tradespeople, contributing to the growth of their rural communities. Over the following generations, the family name spread from these southern roots to other parts of the country, reflecting the typical movement of families seeking new opportunities in England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pret-mor
Old English words for meadow and boundary or moor.
This name
PridmoreA topographic name for someone who lived near a meadow located on a boundary or moor.
also spelled
Pridmoor
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Dorset History Centre, Quarter Sessions Records, 1620
Hanks, Patrick, Dictionary of American Family Names, 2003
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
