Map of England showing where the Tuck arms are recorded
The Tuck arms were recorded in Kent, c. 1563.
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.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in England when the Tuck 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 Tuck Family in England
The surname Tuck is an ancient English name that likely originated as a nickname or a shortened form of a given name. Many historians believe it evolved from the Old English word *tucian*, which meant to torment or to treat harshly, perhaps describing someone with a stern personality. Other experts suggest it may have been a pet form of the name Baldwin or a reference to a person who worked with cloth, specifically someone who "tucked" or thickened fabric during the manufacturing process. By the time the family was firmly established in the county of Kent in 1563, the name had become a permanent fixture in local parish records. During this era, the Tuck family lived as part of the rural community, likely working in agriculture or local trades that supported the growing economy of southeastern England. Their presence in Kent during the mid-sixteenth century highlights the deep roots the family established in the region as they transitioned from medieval naming traditions into the more formal record-keeping systems of the Elizabethan age.
Tuck Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Tukke
Middle English word for a cloth fuller or a garment.
This name
TuckAn occupational surname for a person who thickened or fulled cloth.
also spelled
Tuke
Tuk
Related arms
Tukevariant 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, 1958
Cottle, Basil, The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames, 1967
Kent History and Library Centre, Parish Register Transcripts for the Diocese of Canterbury, 1563
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
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
