A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Shardlow family of England.
Reg. 5219 · English, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ar. a chev. gu. betw. three crosses crosslet fitchée az. {another, sa}”
NorfolkSchimpling · Norfolk, c. 1620
Where the Shardlow Arms Were Recorded
Norfolk
Map of England showing where the Shardlow arms are recorded
The Shardlow arms were recorded in Norfolk, c. 1620.
Norfolk grew rich on wool and grain, and its wealth was spread among many middling families rather than a few great ones. Households of that kind bought land and took arms, and the county holds a large share of English names.
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 Shardlow 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 Norfolk.
Origin & History of the Shardlow Family in England
The family name Shardlow is a locational surname, which means it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal characteristic. The name is derived from the village of Shardlow in Derbyshire, which sits along the banks of the River Trent. In Old English, the name likely translates to a clearing or a nook near a place where shards or gravel were found. While the family roots are tied to this Midlands village, historical records confirm that members of the Shardlow family had migrated to the county of Norfolk by 1620. During this period, families often moved to follow new economic opportunities in the growing agricultural and textile industries of East Anglia. This relocation shows that the family was part of a larger trend of internal migration within England as people sought to establish themselves in different regions during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
sceard and hlaw
Old English for a gap or notch and a hill or mound.
This name
ShardlowRefers to a settlement located near a notched hill or a gap in the landscape.
also spelled
Shardlow
Shardlowe
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
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Norfolk Record Office, Parish Register Transcripts, 1620
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chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
