Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
 Broadwell Coat of Arms / Broadwell Family CrestDuring the Middle Ages surnames were first used in order to distinguish between numbers of people bearing the same christian name. As taxation, under William The Conqueror, who invaded England in 1066, became the law, documentation became essential, and names were chosen from a man's trade, his father's name, some personal physical characteristic, or from his place of residence. In the case of the name BROADWELL it was a locational name from Broadwell (wide stream) the name of places in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, England. The earliest of the name on record appears to be BRADEWELL (without surname) who was listed as a tenant in the Domesday Book of 1086. BRADEWELLE (without surname) was recorded in Oxford in 1367. Surnames derived from placenames are divided into two broad categories; topographic names and habitation names. Topographic names are derived from general descriptive references to someone who lived near a physical feature such as an oak tree, a hill, a stream or a church. Habitation names are derived from pre-existing names denoting towns, villages and farmsteads. Other classes of local names include those derived from the names of rivers, individual houses with signs on them, regions and whole countries. In the Middle Ages heraldry came into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to distinguish the armoured warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in the middle of the 12th century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries of Western Europe. The name is also spelt BRADWELL. Later instances of the name include Sampson Leycroft and Ann BRADWELL, who were married at St. George's, Hanover Square, London in the year 1593. The associated coat of arms are recorded in Sir Bernard Burkes General Armory. Ulster King of Arms in 1884. Registered in Cheshire. |
