Map of England showing where the Schriefer arms are recorded
The Schriefer arms were recorded in Sussex, c. 1620.
Sussex had ironworks in its woods and good farmland on its downs. Both made money, and families who made it bought manors, which is what put their names in the heraldic 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 Schriefer 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 Sussex.
Origin & History of the Schriefer Family in England
The surname Schriefer is rooted in the Low German word *schriver*, which translates to a writer or a clerk. During the Middle Ages, this name was an occupational title given to someone who worked as a scribe, a record keeper, or a legal official. Because literacy was rare in early society, these individuals held important roles in managing documents for local lords or merchants. By 1620, members of the family had established a presence in Sussex, England. It is likely that these early ancestors were part of the migration of skilled workers and traders who moved from Northern Europe to the British Isles during the seventeenth century. As they settled into their new communities, the family name evolved from its original linguistic roots to become a fixed surname passed down through generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Schreiber
German occupational term for a writer or a clerk.
This name
SchrieferAn occupational surname for a professional scribe, clerk, or someone who recorded documents.
also spelled
Schreiber
Shreiber
Schryber
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
The National Archives, Kew, State Papers Domestic, James I, 1620
West Sussex Record Office, Parish Registers of the Diocese of Chichester, 1620
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griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
