A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Vawter family of England.
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mindSir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Or, an eagle rising ppr”
The Vawter arms were recorded in Cornwall, c. 1620.
Cornwall was a county apart, with its own language and its own tight-knit gentry. Tin and the sea made money there, and families who made it bought land, which is what brought arms with it.
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 Vawter 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 Vawter family name is rooted in the coastal region of Cornwall, England, where records confirm their presence as early as 1620. The name is believed to be a variation of the Middle English term "vautier," which historically referred to a person who worked as a vault-keeper or someone who managed underground storage spaces. During the early seventeenth century, the Vawters were part of the hardworking population of the Cornish peninsula, a region defined by its rugged landscape and strong maritime traditions. As the family established themselves in this area, they became part of the local social fabric that eventually saw many individuals migrate across the Atlantic to the American colonies. This movement was common for families seeking new opportunities in trade and agriculture during the period of early English expansion. By tracing their origins to this specific corner of Britain, the Vawters represent a lineage deeply connected to the regional development and the eventual global migration patterns of the seventeenth century.
Old French term for a forest warden or keeper.
