After the exciting link to the Koefoed (Kofford) coat of arms, I continued to look into my other ancestral lines to see if I could find more.
Kirkby Ancestral Line
My maternal grandmother is a Kirby. The Kirby name is a variant of the very old “Kirkby” surname that originated from the town of the same name in Lancashire, England.
I am a direct descendant of Roger Kirkby (1530-1618). He is my 13th-Great Grandfather. His grandson, Roger Kirkby (1600-1643) served in the House of Commons and was later a Member of Parliament.
We know with a certainty that these Kirkbys had a coat of arms associated with their family, as it is clearly documented in the 12th Visitation of Lancashire in 1613 (see the included image). A “visitation” in this sense is an official heraldic audit – heraldry was carefully regulated in England by this time. This is, therefore, an exceptionally strong source of documentation.
Roger’s name appears in the bottom left corner and also shows that he is married to Jane Rigby, matching our genealogical records.
To read the document, The top line shows the three direct descendants from Sir Richard Kirkby. Their descendants, if applicable, are on lower lines. When it states “without issue,” that indicates that the individual has no direct descendants.
Variants
Interestingly, there are some notable variations reported in Burke’s Peerage, specifically regarding the cross. It is described therein as a “cross patonce,” for the Kirkbys of Lancastire, and a “cross flory” for the Kirkbys of Durham. These crosses are very similar to the cross moline.
The Kirkby Coat of Arms Blazon
As is clearly noted at the top of the page of the 12th Visitation, the Kirkby are officially blazoned.
The shield is “argent,” or silver. When painted, silver metal is depicted as white.
The main design of the shield is two horizontal bars, “gules” or red.
A canton is typically a square that is placed in the upper left (or “dexter”) corner of the shield. The canton is the same color as the bars.
Within the canton is a gold (“or”) cross moline. “Moline” is a specific style of cross with equal lengths of all arms and flared ends.
The Appearance of the Kirkby Coat of Arms
The image is a rendering of the Kirkby coat of arms. It includes the traditional helmet and mantling, as well as a torse on top of the helmet. The torse is usually used to fill the gap between the helmet and the crest (that would go on top of the helmet), but there is nothing unusual about having a torse with no crest.
No motto is noted in the 12th visitation or in Burke’s Peerage. That is not unusual, as the bearer was typically permitted to add or change the motto at will.
Proud Heritage
This find was very interesting for me. I am again humbled by the knowledge of ancestors who came before me. I am excited to continue learning about even more.
