A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wheaton family of England.
Reg. 6630 · English, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Ar. on a bend sa. betw. six crosses crosslet gu. three bezants. Sir RICHARD DE WHATTON, of Whatton, who served with Richard I. in the Holy Land, bore the arms without the bezants, which were added by his son, Sir JOHN DE WHATTON, on his marriage with the co-heiress of BISET; quarterings: BISET, BASSET, DE MALBANC, DE DUNSTANVILLE, FITZHENRY, LOVETOT, PALMER, STAPLEFORD, BELEB, RYVERS, HERIZ, BLOUNT, and WATKINSON”
NottinghamWhatton · Nottingham, c. 1614
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of England showing where the Wheaton arms are recorded
The Wheaton arms were recorded in Nottingham, c. 1614.
Nottinghamshire had coal under it and forest across it, and both were worth money. Families who profited bought manors, and a manor was the ordinary reason for a family to take 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.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Wheaton 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 Nottingham.
Origin & History of the Wheaton Family in England
The surname Wheaton is an English habitational name, meaning it originally identified people who lived near a specific location. It is derived from the Old English words "hwete," meaning wheat, and "tun," meaning an enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the earliest ancestors bearing this name likely lived on or near a wheat farm or a small village centered around grain production. By 1614, records confirm that members of the Wheaton family were well-established in Nottingham, England. During this period, the family would have been part of a growing class of English citizens whose surnames were becoming permanent and passed down through generations. Living in a regional hub like Nottingham, these early Wheatons were likely involved in the local agricultural trade or the developing craft industries that defined the area during the early seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
hwate tun
Old English words for wheat and an enclosed settlement or farmstead.
This name
WheatonA habitational name referring to a farm or settlement where wheat was grown.
also spelled
Whatten
Whattin
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
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Nottinghamshire Archives, Nottingham St Mary’s Parish Registers, 1614
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
