A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wrightson family of England.
Reg. 3364 · English, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
Colours
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)
“Or, a fess componée counter-componée ar. and vert betw. three griffins' heads erased of the third”
NorthumberlandNewcastle-on-Tyne · Northumberland, c. 1620
Where the Wrightson Arms Were Recorded
Northumberland
Map of England showing where the Wrightson arms are recorded
The Wrightson arms were recorded in Northumberland, c. 1620.
Northumberland was border country facing Scotland, raided and fought over for three hundred years. Families held their land in return for defending it, and a defending household carried a shield.
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 Wrightson 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 Northumberland.
Origin & History of the Wrightson Family in England
The surname Wrightson is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to describe a person as the son of a wright. In medieval England, a wright was a skilled craftsman who worked primarily with wood, such as a wheelwright or a shipwright. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the northern county of Northumberland. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Wrightson family were living in this region during a time of significant social change. Because the northern borderlands were often turbulent, families like the Wrightsons were frequently involved in local agriculture, trade, or the management of rural estates. Over time, the name became firmly rooted in the local community, reflecting the essential role that skilled craftsmen played in the development of northern English towns and villages.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wryhta
Old English term for a worker or maker of things.
This name
WrightsonRefers to the son of a skilled craftsman or carpenter.
also spelled
Writson
Wrightsen
Wryghtson
Writsen
Related arms
Coperecorded with Wrightson, 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
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
