A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Shillingheld family of England.
Reg. 0314 · English, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Az. six leopards' heads couped or”
KentKent, c. 1620
Where the Shillingheld Arms Were Recorded
Kent
Map of England showing where the Shillingheld arms are recorded
The Shillingheld arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1620.
Kent sits between London and the short crossing to Europe, and the trade passing through made it wealthy. Merchant families bought land with that money, and it was landowners who took coats of arms.
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 Shillingheld 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 Kent.
Origin & History of the Shillingheld Family in England
The family name Shillingheld is deeply rooted in the landscape of Kent, England, where members of the family were documented as early as 1620. The name itself is topographical, likely originating from a specific location or farmstead known as "Shillingheld" within the county. During the early seventeenth century, families in this region were often tied to the land through agriculture and local trade. As the name suggests a connection to a particular piece of terrain, it is probable that the earliest ancestors were yeoman farmers or tenants who identified themselves by the place they cultivated. By the time they appear in historical records in 1620, the family had established a presence in the rural parishes of Kent, contributing to the local community life that defined the social structure of the English countryside during the reign of King James I.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Scilling
Old English term for a coin or a unit of currency.
This name
ShillingheldA dweller at a field associated with a person named Scilling or a coin-related location.
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Everitt, Alan, The Community of Kent and the Great Rebellion 1640-1660, 1966
Kent Archives, Quarter Sessions Records, Q/S/1620
Wallenberg, J.K., The Place-Names of Kent, 1934
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
