Map of England showing where the Rawls arms are recorded
The Rawls 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 Rawls 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 Rawls Family in England
The surname Rawls is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son of someone named Raw. Raw was a common medieval nickname for the name Ralph, which itself comes from the Old Germanic words for wolf and counsel. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Dorset in England. Records show that members of the Rawls family were living in this coastal region by 1620, likely working as farmers or tradespeople in the local rural communities. Over time, the spelling of the name shifted as it was recorded in parish registers and legal documents, eventually stabilizing into the form used today. This transition from a spoken nickname to a permanent family name reflects the way many English surnames were formed during the late Middle Ages and the early modern period.
Rawls Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Raoul
A Germanic name composed of elements meaning wolf and counsel.
This name
RawlsA patronymic surname derived from the son of Ralph or Raoul.
also spelled
Rawls
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Dorset History Centre, Dorset Parish Registers, 1620
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
