Map of England showing where the Whitton arms are recorded
The Whitton arms were recorded in Oxford, c. 1574.
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.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in England when the Whitton 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 Whitton Family in England
The surname Whitton is a locative name, meaning it originally identified people based on the place where they lived. The name is derived from Old English words meaning a white enclosure or a white farmstead. By the late sixteenth century, the family had established a clear presence in Oxford, as evidenced by records from 1574. During this period, the family members were likely integrated into the growing academic and merchant life of the university city. As the name spread from its geographic origins, it became a way to track families who moved from rural settlements into the developing urban centers of England. This transition from a specific location to a family identifier reflects the way many English surnames were formed during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hwita-tun
Old English for white or fair settlement or enclosure.
This name
WhittonDerived from a place name meaning the white farmstead or the settlement belonging to a person named Hwita.
also spelled
Whytton
Witton
Related arms
Whittenvariant spelling
Wittonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Oxfordshire Archives, Diocese of Oxford: Bishop's Transcripts of Parish Registers, 1574
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
bordureA difference between branches of one family
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
bordureA difference between branches of one family
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
