Map of England showing where the Symonds arms are recorded
The Symonds arms were recorded in Dorset, c. 1587.
Dorset was quiet farming and grazing country along the south coast. Its gentry were middling rather than grand, but they held their manors for a very long time, and long holding is what puts a name in the 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.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in England when the Symonds 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 Dorset.
Origin & History of the Symonds Family in England
The surname Symonds is a patronymic name, which means it originated from the given name Simon. During the Middle Ages, it was common for people to identify themselves by adding "son" to their father’s name, eventually leading to the fixed surname Symonds. By the late sixteenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Dorset. Records from 1587 confirm that members of the family were living and working in this region during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. At that time, families in Dorset were often involved in agriculture, local trade, or the wool industry, which was the backbone of the English economy. As the name spread across southern England, it became deeply rooted in the local community, reflecting a long history of settlement and daily life in the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Simon
Derived from the Hebrew name Shim'on meaning he has heard.
This name
SymondsA patronymic surname meaning son of Simon.
also spelled
Simonds
Simond
Related arms
Simondssame arms
Simondvariant spelling
Benettrecorded with Symonds, same area
Ellesdonrecorded with Symonds, same area
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
Dorset History Centre, Dorset Parish Registers, 1587
Lower, Mark Antony, Patronymica Britannica: A Dictionary of the Family Names of the United Kingdom, 1860
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
