A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Vause family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Quarterly, ar. and az”
The Vause 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.
Reigning in England when the Vause arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Vause is rooted in the medieval period and is believed to be a variation of the name Vaux, which originated in Normandy. Families bearing this name likely traveled to England following the Norman Conquest, eventually establishing themselves in various regions across the country. By the early 17th century, members of the Vause family were well-established in the historic city of York. Records from 1620 confirm their presence in this northern hub, where they lived as part of the local community during a time of significant social and political change. These early settlers in York were likely involved in the local trades and civic life that defined the city during the reign of King James I. Over time, the spelling of the name evolved to its current form, reflecting the linguistic shifts common in English surnames throughout the centuries.
Derived from the Old French word for valleys.
