Map of England showing where the Weaver arms are recorded
The Weaver arms were recorded in Hereford, c. 1568.
Herefordshire lay on the Welsh border, where land was held in return for military service. Families there were expected to arm and to fight, and a fighting household needed a shield it could be known by.
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 Weaver 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 Hereford.
Origin & History of the Weaver Family in England
The surname Weaver is an occupational name that originated in medieval England to describe a person who worked at a loom. During the Middle Ages, weaving was a vital trade for the local economy, and families often adopted the name to identify their primary source of income. By the year 1568, historical records confirm that members of the Weaver family were well-established in the county of Hereford. Living in this region, these early ancestors were likely part of the thriving wool and cloth industry that defined the area during the sixteenth century. As the family grew, they became deeply integrated into the local community, leaving behind traces of their lives in parish registers and legal documents that track their movement through the English countryside.
Weaver Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
wefan
Old English verb meaning to weave or interlace threads.
This name
WeaverAn occupational surname for a person who produced cloth on a loom.
also spelled
Weever
Wever
Weverr
Related arms
Weevervariant spelling
Wevervariant 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
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Herefordshire Archives and Records Centre, Parish Registers of the Diocese of Hereford, 1568
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
