A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the St Barbe family of England.
Reg. 9215 · English, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Barbe. Ar. a bend sa”
Englandc. 1620
Where the St Barbe Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the St Barbe arms are recorded
The St Barbe arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried 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 St Barbe 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 England.
Origin & History of the St Barbe Family in England
The surname St Barbe is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal trait. The name is derived from the French phrase "Saint Barbe," which refers to Saint Barbara, a figure honored in medieval religious tradition. Families bearing this name likely took it from a village or parish in France that was dedicated to this saint. By the time the family was recorded in York in 1620, they had already established themselves as part of the English gentry. Their presence in northern England during this period suggests they were involved in the social and economic shifts of the seventeenth century, likely participating in the trade or administrative life of the city. While the name carries deep roots in continental Europe, the family successfully integrated into the local landscape of Yorkshire, maintaining their identity through generations of English history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Sanctus Barbatus
Latin for holy or saintly and bearded or wearing a beard.
This name
St BarbeDerived from a place name in Normandy referring to a saint associated with a beard.
also spelled
Saintbarbe
Sainbarbe
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
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Probate Records
The National Archives, State Papers Domestic, James I
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
