A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Whittier family of England.
bullValour and generositySir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Erm. a bull pass. sa”
The Whittier arms were recorded in Sussex, c. 1620.
Sussex had ironworks in its woods and good farmland on its downs. Both made money, and families who made it bought manors, which is what put their names in the heraldic records.
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.
Reigning in England when the Whittier arms are first recorded.
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.
The Whittier surname originated in England and is primarily associated with the southern county of Sussex. Historical records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this region by the early seventeenth century. The name itself is believed to be topographic, meaning it likely described a person who lived near a specific landmark or a distinctive white area of land. As the family grew, they became part of the migration patterns that defined the era, with some members eventually leaving their English roots to seek new opportunities in the American colonies. By the time the first generations arrived in New England, the family had already developed a strong tradition of agricultural and community involvement that would persist for centuries.
Old English word meaning white or bright in color.
