Map of England showing where the Watts arms are recorded
The Watts arms were recorded in Norfolk, c. 1610.
Norfolk grew rich on wool and grain, and its wealth was spread among many middling families rather than a few great ones. Households of that kind bought land and took arms, and the county holds a large share of English names.
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 Watts 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 Norfolk.
Origin & History of the Watts Family in England
The surname Watts originated as a patronymic name, which means it was derived from the given name of a father or ancestor. It is a diminutive form of the name Walter, which was brought to England by the Normans and became incredibly popular during the Middle Ages. By the time the family was firmly established in Norfolk in 1610, the name had already been in use for several centuries as a common way to identify individuals in local parish records. Families bearing this name were often part of the hardworking agricultural or merchant classes that helped shape the local economy of East Anglia. Because the name was linked to a popular first name, it emerged independently in many different regions, allowing the Watts family to put down deep roots in the Norfolk countryside long before the seventeenth century began.
Watts Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Walter
Derived from Germanic elements meaning army ruler or power of the army.
This name
WattsA patronymic surname meaning son of Wat, which is a medieval diminutive of the name Walter.
also spelled
Wattes
Watte
Wate
Related arms
Watevariant spelling
Wattevariant spelling
Wattesvariant 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, 1991
Norfolk Record Office, Parish Register Transcripts, 1610
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
