A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wheat family of England.
Reg. 0033 · English, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Vert a fess dancettée or, in chief three garbs of the second”
OxfordGlympton · Oxford, c. 1696
Where the Wheat Arms Were Recorded
Oxford
Map of England showing where the Wheat arms are recorded
The Wheat arms were recorded in Oxford, c. 1696.
Oxfordshire was farming country with the university at its centre, and both produced families of standing. Scholars and lawyers who did well bought manors nearby, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of 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.
William III of England
Sovereign of the period
William III of England
1694–1702
Reigning in England when the Wheat 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 Oxford.
Origin & History of the Wheat Family in England
The surname Wheat is a locational and descriptive name that likely originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "hwate," which refers to the grain crop that was essential to the agricultural economy of the time. Families carrying this name were often associated with the cultivation or trade of wheat, suggesting that the earliest ancestors were farmers or millers living in rural communities. By the late seventeenth century, the family established a notable presence in Oxford, as evidenced by records from 1696. During this period, the family became integrated into the academic and civic life of the city, moving beyond their agrarian roots to participate in the growing professional class of the region. This transition reflects the broader social changes occurring in England as families migrated from the countryside into emerging urban centers.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hwaete
Old English term for the cereal grain used to make flour.
This name
WheatAn occupational name for a grower, seller, or miller of wheat.
also spelled
Whete
Whett
Related arms
Jonesrecorded with Wheat, same area
Kempson, or Kempstonrecorded with Wheat, same area
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
Oxfordshire Archives, Records of the City of Oxford, 1696
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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
