Map of England showing where the Tarkington arms are recorded
The Tarkington arms were recorded in Chester, c. 1620.
Cheshire was governed apart from the rest of England for much of its history, with its own courts and its own gentry. That separateness bred a strong local landed class, and landed families 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 Tarkington 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 Chester.
Origin & History of the Tarkington Family in England
The surname Tarkington is a locative name, which means it likely originated from a specific place or settlement in England. Historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the city of Chester by 1620. During this period, Chester was a vital center for trade and military activity due to its proximity to the Welsh border. Families living in this region often took their names from small villages or farmsteads nearby, suggesting that the ancestors of the Tarkingtons were likely landowners or tenant farmers who moved into the city to participate in its growing economy. As the family became more settled in Chester, they integrated into the local community, leaving behind records in parish registers and legal documents that track their presence through the seventeenth century. This transition from rural life to the urban environment of a walled city reflects the broader patterns of social mobility and migration that defined life in early modern England.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Tarkington
Derived from the Old English personal name Tarka and the suffix ing-tun.
This name
TarkingtonRefers to the settlement or estate belonging to the people of Tarka.
also spelled
Torkynton
Torkyngton
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, Bishop's Transcripts of the Diocese of Chester, 1620
Croston, James, A History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, 1882
Stewart-Brown, Ronald, The Chamberlains of the County Palatine of Chester, 1923
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
