The crest on Plate 11, Image 6 (Pl. 11. cr. 6.) is described primarily as a wolf’s head (often erased or couped).
Surnames:
- Barrye (Devonshire)
- Belhouse (England)
- Borminghall (England)
- Cattle (Lancashire)
- Chibnall (Northamptonshire)
- Chibnall (Buckinghamshire)
- Chibnall (Bedfordshire)
- Clopton (Clopton, Suffolk)
- Delahay (Herefordshire)
- Dounies (England)
- Dowies (Norfolk)
- Downes (Debnam, Suffolk)
- Downes (Great Melton, Norfolk)
- Isherwood (England)
- Jefferson (England)
- Lawrance (Foxhall, Gloucestershire)
- M’Quin (England)
- Malkin (England)
- Morton
- Munday (Marketon, Derbyshire)
- Mundy (Marketon, Derbyshire)
- Pratt (Norfolk, England)
- Putnam (Bedfordshire, England)
- Putnam (Penn, Buckinghamshire, England)
- Puttenham (Sherfield, Hampshire, England)
- Puttenham (Bedfordshire, England)
- Puttenham (Fen, Buckinghamshire, England)
- Seal (England)
- Skottowe (England)
- Swanston (Scotland)
- Thorogood (Hornechurch, Essex, England)
- Thorogood (Thorowgood, Hertfordshire, England)
- Thorogood (Shartfield, Hertfordshire, England)
- Thorow Good (Shartfield, Hertfordshire, England)
- Thorowgood (Thorowgood, Hertfordshire, England)
- Wilbraham (Cheshire, England)
Symbolism
Wolf’s Head: The wolf is a traditional heraldic symbol of vigilance and hard work. It was often granted to those who achieved their status through dangerous enterprise or perseverance in long sieges. As a predatory animal, it signifies valor and guardianship. Erased/Couped: If the head is “erased” (jagged edges), it suggests the limb was torn off with great strength, emphasizing the ferocity of the bearer; “couped” (straight line) indicates a clean cut.
General Symbolic Meanings
The prevalence of the wolf’s head in this crest suggests a lineage that valued martial prowess and unyielding perseverance. The wolf is an animal that does not give up easily, implying that the families bearing this crest were known for their tenacity and ability to endure hardship to achieve their goals.