Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
  Coey Family Crest / Coey Coat of ArmsThe surname of COEY has the associated arms recorded in Sir Bernard Burkes General Armory. Ulster King of Arms in 1884. The name was local from one or other of places of the name, but mainly from the ancient barony of Cowie in Kincardineshire. Local names usually denoted where a man held his land, and indicated where he actually lived. Early records of the name mention Herbert de Cowy, who witnessed a charter in 1394. John Cowy was documented as the burgess of Aberdeen in the year 1501. Janet Cowie was a witch in Elgin in 1646. A family of the name were long connected with Newburgh, and John Colwye, bailie, was recorded there in 1617. At first the coat of arms was a practical matter which served a function on the battlefield and in tournaments. With his helmet covering his face, and armour encasing the knight from head to foot, the only means of identification for his followers, was the insignia painted on his shield and embroidered on his surcoat, the flowing and draped garment worn over the armour. The rise of surnames, according to the accepted theory, was due to the Norman Conquest of 1066 when Old English personal-names were rapidly superseded by the new christian names introduced by the Normans. Of these, only a few were really popular and in the 12th century this scarcity of christian names led to the increasing use of surnames to distinguish the numerous individuals of the same name. Some Normans had hereditary surnames before they came to England, but there is evidence that surnames would have developed in England even had there been no Norman Conquest. The development of the feudal system made it essential that the king should know exactly what service each person owed. Payments to and by the exchequer required that debtors and creditors should be particularized, and it became official that each individual acquired exact identification. |
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