Map of England showing where the Stanton arms are recorded
The Stanton arms were recorded in Devon, c. 1620.
Devon was a county of small manors and seafaring families. Its gentry were spread thickly across the countryside, and money made at sea often bought an estate, which in turn brought a coat 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 Stanton 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 Devon.
Origin & History of the Stanton Family in England
The family name Stanton is a classic example of a locational surname, which means it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal trait. The name is derived from the Old English words "stan," meaning stone, and "tun," meaning an enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the earliest people to carry the name lived in a village built of stone or located on stony ground. By the year 1620, members of the Stanton family were well-established in the county of Devon in southwest England. During this period, families in Devon were often deeply connected to the local landscape, working as farmers or tradespeople in the rural parishes. As the family grew, individuals moved throughout the region, carrying the name from their original stony settlements into the broader history of the English countryside.
Stanton Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Stan-tun
Old English for stone and enclosure or settlement.
This name
StantonA habitational name referring to a settlement built on stony ground.
also spelled
Staunton
Stantoun
Related arms
Staintonvariant spelling
Stauntonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Ekwall, Eilert, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 1960
Devon Archives, Parish Registers of Devon, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
lionCourage, strength and royalty
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
lionCourage, strength and royalty
