Map of England showing where the Warwick arms are recorded
The Warwick arms were recorded in Cumberland, c. 1620.
Cumberland was rough border country in the north-west, facing Scotland across a disputed line. Its families held land in return for keeping it defended, and men who fought carried shields of their own.
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 Warwick 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 Cumberland.
Origin & History of the Warwick Family in England
The family name Warwick is a locational surname, meaning it originally identified people by the place where they lived. While the name is famously linked to the town of Warwick in the English Midlands, the branch of the family established in Cumberland by 1620 suggests a long history of migration and settlement in the north of England. During the early seventeenth century, families often moved to find better farmland or to participate in the growing trade networks of the border regions. By settling in Cumberland, these early ancestors became part of a distinct regional identity that was shaped by the rugged landscape and the complex history of the Scottish borderlands. Over time, the name became firmly rooted in this northern territory, marking the transition of the family from travelers into established local landowners and community members.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wærincwic
Old English for dwelling or dairy farm near a weir.
This name
WarwickDerived from a place name meaning settlement by a river dam or weir.
also spelled
Warrick
Warwyk
Related arms
Warwykevariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Cumberland Archives, Quarter Sessions Records of the County of Cumberland, 1620
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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