Medieval source material on the internet: Heralds' Visitations and the College of Arms

Heralds' Visitations and the College of Arms

For a brief guide to heralds' visitations and the College of Arms, click here

For some medieval records in Ancestry's UK and Ireland Collection, click here

• The Court of Chivalry 1634-1640 (University of Birmingham/College of Arms)
  Searchable database of the 738 surviving cases for this period, including an abstract of each with summaries and transcripts of the documents, from records at the College of Arms and Arundel Castle. The site also includes extensive background material on the history and procedure of the court.
• Armigerous Ancestors Surname Index (Achievements - the research company associated with the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies)
  Searchable version of the surname index from C.R. Humphery-Smith, Armigerous ancestors: a catalogue of sources for the study of the visitations of the heralds in the 16th and 17th centuries with referenced lists of names (Canterbury, 1997). The search results also give the county but not usually the date of the visitation; Achievements can provide further information for a fee
• R. Sims, An Index to the Pedigrees and Arms contained in the Heralds' Visitations, and other Genealogical Manuscripts in the British Museum. (1849) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
• Extracts from the Heralds' Visitation of Berkshire, 1566 (Berkshire History)
  Narrative pedigrees of the families of Annesley, Berington, Blagrave, Booth, Bullock, Bury, Cater, Choke, Cooper, Eyston, Fettiplace and Forster
• Visitations of Berkshire, 1532, 1566, 1623 and 1665-66 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the Harleian Society edition in 2 volumes, edited by W.H. Rylands, 1907, 1908
• John W. Clay, ed., The Visitation of Cambridge Made in A[nn]o [1575]. Continued and enlarged w[i]th the Vissitation of the same county made ... In A[nn]o 1619 ... (1897) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• John Paul Rylands, ed., The Visitation of Cheshire ... 1580 ... The Visitation of Cheshire made ... 1566 ... The Visitation of a Part of Cheshire ... 1533 ... a fragment of The Visitation of the City of Chester ... 1591 (1882) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 18.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• The Visitation of Cheshire ... 1580 ... The Visitation of Cheshire made ... 1566 ... The Visitation of a Part of Cheshire ... 1533 ... a fragment of The Visitation of the City of Chester ... 1591 (Derek Whitmore/South Cheshire Family History Society)
  Images from the edition of J. P. Rylands (Harleian Society, vol.18, 1882)
• John Paul Rylands, ed., The Visitation of Cheshire ... 1580 ... The Visitation of Cheshire ... 1566 ... The Visitation of a Part of Cheshire ... 1533 ... and a fragment of the Visitation of the City of Chester ... 1591 ... (1882) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Harleian Society, volume 18.
• Visitation of Cheshire 1613 (Derek Whitmore/South Cheshire Family History Society)
  Zipped file in Microsoft Word format, from the edition of Sir G.J. Armytage and J.P. Rylands (Lancashire and Cheshire Record Society vol.58, 1909)
• Sir George J. Armytage and J. Paul Rylands, eds., Pedigrees made at the Visitation of Cheshire, 1613, ... and some other contemporary pedigrees. (1909) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Lancashire and Cheshire Record Society, volume 58.
• J. L. Vivian, The visitations of Cornwall, comprising the heralds' visitations of 1530, 1573, and 1620. With additions ... (1873) (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  [Other copies at: Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.]
• John Fetherston, ed., The Visitation of the County of Cumberland In the Year 1615 ... (1872) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 7.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive.]
• Joseph Foster, ed., Pedigrees Recorded at the Heralds' Visitations of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland ... in 1615, and ... in 1666. [1891] (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• William Dugdale The Visitation of Derbyshire, taken in 1662, and reviewed in 1663. (1879) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• J. L. Vivian, The Visitations of the County of Devon, ... 1531, 1564. and 1620. A-G. With additions ... [1895] (Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University)
• J. L. Vivian, The Visitations of the County of Devon, ... 1531, 1564. and 1620. H-Z. With additions ... [1895] (Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University)
• The Visitations of the County of Devon, 1531, 1564 and 1620 (J.L. Vivian's edition) (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Text version, in progress, with a surname index
  N.B. Todd Farmerie (in soc.genealogy.medieval postings) points out that some of the material in Vivian's edition is inaccurate - particularly the earlier parts of the pedigrees and those immediately subsequent to the visitation records
• The Visitation of the County of Devon In the Year 1564, with Additions from the Earlier Visitation of 1531 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the edition of F. T. Colby, 1881.
• Visitation of Dorsetshire 1623 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the Harleian Society edition
• John Paul Rylands, ed., The Visitation of the County of Dorset, taken in the year 1623, ... (1885) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 20.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• Joseph Foster, ed., Pedigrees recorded at the visitations of the county palatine of Durham ... in 1575, ... in 1615, and ... in 1666. (1887) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• The Edward IV Roll (Free Library of Philadelphia)
  Images and discussion of a lavishly illustrated manuscript from the 1460s (Free Library of Philadelphia, MS Lewis E201), which includes a mythical descent of Edward IV from Adam and Eve - this predates the incorporation of the College of Arms, but shares some of the characteristics of the inventive heraldic pedigrees that came into fashion under the Tudors and Stuarts
• Walter C. Metcalfe, ed., The visitations of Essex ... 1552 ... 1558 ... 1570 ... 1612 ... 1634. ... Miscellaneous Essex Pedigrees from various Harleian manuscripts: and ... Berry's Essex Pedigrees. Part 1. (1878) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Harleian Society, number 13.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• Walter C. Metcalfe, ed., The visitations of Essex ... 1552 ... 1558 ... 1570 ... 1612 ... 1634. ... Miscellaneous Essex Pedigrees from various Harleian manuscripts: and ... Berry's Essex Pedigrees. Part 2. (1879) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Harleian Society, number 14.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• Visitation of Gloucestershire, 1623 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the Harleian Society edition.
• The Visitations of Hertfordshire made by Robert Cooke, Esq., Clarencieux, in 1572, and Sir Richard St. George, Kt., Clarencieux, in 1634, with Hertfordshire Pedigrees from Harleian MSS. 6147 and 1546 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the edition of W.C. Metcalfe (Harleian Society, vol.22, 1886)
• The Visitation of Kent, Taken in the Years 1619-1621 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the Harleian Society edition, edited by Robert Hovenden, 1898
• Visitation of Kent [1663-1668] (Maureen Rawson, Kent Genealogy)
  Index of surnames only, compiled from the Harleian Society edition
• The visitation of Lancashire and a part of Cheshire: made in the twenty-fourth year of the reign of King Henry the Eighth, A.D. 1533. Part 2. (1882) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Chetham Society, Old Series, volume 110.
• F. R. Raines, ed., The visitation of the county palatine of Lancaster, made in the year 1613, ... (1871) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Chetham Society, Old Series 82.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• F. R. Raines, ed., The Visitation of the County Palatine of Lancaster, made in the year 1664-5, ... Part 1. (1872) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Chetham Society, volume 84. Covers surnames Adlington-Entwisle.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• F. R. Raines, ed., The Visitation of the County Palatine of Lancaster, made in the year 1664-5, ... Part 2. (1872) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Chetham Society, volume 85. Covers surnames Eyves-Oldham.
• F. R. Raines, ed., The Visitation of the County Palatine of Lancaster, made in the year 1664-5, ... Part 3. (1873) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Chetham Society, volume 88. Covers surnames Osbadleston-Worthington and includes an index to all three parts.
• George W. Marshall Le Neve's pedigrees of the knights made by King Charles II., King James II., King William III. and Queen Mary, King William alone, and Queen Anne (1873) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, Publications, number 8.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 ;  4 ;  5 ;  6 ;  7 .]
• John Fetherston, ed., The visitation of the county of Leicester in the year 1619. (1870) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• Walter C. Metcalfe, ed., The Visitation of the County of Lincoln In 1562-4. (1881) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• Walter C. Metcalfe, ed., The Visitation of the County of Lincoln, 1592. (1882) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Bound with Metcalfe's edition of the 1562-4 visitation. The 1592 visitation starts at p. 319.
• Everard Green, ed., The visitation of the county of Lincoln made ... 1666. (Bob Boynton, University of Iowa)
  Lincoln Record Society, vol. 8 (1917). PDF file (3 MB).
• A. R. Maddison, ed., Lincolnshire Pedigrees. Volume 1. (1902) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Harleian Society Publications, volume 50, from the manuscripts of Arthur Staunton Larken.
• A. R. Maddison, ed., Lincolnshire Pedigrees. Volume 2. (1903) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Harleian Society Publications, volume 51, from the manuscripts of Arthur Staunton Larken.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• A. R. Maddison, ed., Lincolnshire Pedigrees. Volume 3. (1904) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Harleian Society Publications, volume 52, from the manuscripts of Arthur Staunton Larken.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• A. R. Maddison, ed., Lincolnshire Pedigrees. Volume 4. (1906) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
  Harleian Society Publications, volume 55, from the manuscripts of Arthur Staunton Larken.
  [Other copies at: Google Books [Hints and tips]; Internet Archive - Text Archive.]
• Joseph Jackson Howard and George John Armytage, eds, The visitation of London In the Year 1568 ... since augmented both with descents and arms. (1869) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 1.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 ;  4 ;  5 .]
• The Visitation of London, anno domini 1633, 1634, and 1635 [surnames A-H] (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the edition of J.J. Howard and J.L. Chester (Harleian Society, vol. 15, 1880)
• Joseph Jackson Howard and Joseph Lemuel Chester, eds, The visitation of London, anno domini 1633, 1634, and 1635, ,... (1880) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, Publications, number 17. Volume 1 of 2, covering surnames A-H.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 ;  4 ;  5 .]
• Joseph Jackson Howard and Joseph Lemuel Chester, eds, The visitation of London, anno domini 1633, 1634, and 1635, made by Sr. Henry St George, kt., Clarencieux king of armes (1883) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, Publications, number 17. Volume 2 of 2, covering surnames I-W.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• The visitation of Middlesex, began in the year 1663. (1820) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• G. H. Dashwood and others, eds, The Visitation of Norfolk in the year 1563 ... Volume 1. (1878) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  [Other copies at: Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University; Internet Archive - Text Archive.]
• Brig.-General Bulwer, ed., The Visitation of Norfolk in the year 1563 ... Volume 2. (1895) (Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University)
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive.]
• Visitations of Norfolk, 1563 and 1613 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the Harleian Society edition, edited by Walter Rye, 1891
• Norfolk Visitations, 1563 (Community Trees, FamilySearch.org)
  Genealogical database compiled from the visitation pedigrees.
• [C. H. Hunter Blair, ed.] Visitations of the north. Part 3. A visitation of the north of England circa 1480-1500. (Bob Boynton, University of Iowa)
  Surtees Society, vol. 144 (1930). PDF file (7 MB).
• [F. W. Dendy, ed.] Visitations of the north, or some early heraldic visitations of, and collections of pedigrees relating to, the north of England. Part 1. (Bob Boynton, University of Iowa)
  Surtees Society, vol. 122 (1912). Visitations of 1552 and 1558, and pedigrees collected in 1560 and 1561. PDF file (11 MB).
• Walter C. Metcalfe, ed., The Visitations of Northamptonshire made in 1564 and 1618-19, with Northamptonshire Pedigrees from various Harleian MSS. (1887) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• Northumberland: See under Yorkshire.
• George William Marshall, ed., The Visitations of the County of Nottingham In the Years 1569 and 1614, with many other descents of the same county. (1871) (Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University)
• George John Armytage, ed., The Visitation of the County of Rutland in the year 1618-19, ... and other descents of families not in the visitation. (1870) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 3.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 ;  4 .]
• Nicholas Harris Nicolas, The controversy between Sir Richard Scrope and Sir Robert Grosvenor, In the Court of Chivalry, A.D. 1385-1390. Volume 2. (1832) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  The volume is subtitled, "Containing a history of the family of Scrope, and biographical notices of the deponents".
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• The Scrope-Grosvenor Trial (1385-1390) (Harvard University)
  Modern English versions of selected depositions in a trial in the Court of Chivalry, from Sir N. Harris Nichols, ed., The Controversy Between Sir Richard Scrope and Sir Robert Grosvenor ... (1832)
• George Grazebrook and John Paul Rylands The visitation of Shropshire, taken in the year 1623 ... with additions from the pedigrees of Shropshire gentry taken by the heralds in the years 1569 and 1584, and other sources (1889) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, Publications, number 28. Part 1, covering surnames A-J.
  [Other copies at: Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University; Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• George Grazebrook and John Paul Rylands The visitation of Shropshire, taken in the year 1623 ... with additions from the pedigrees of Shropshire gentry taken by the heralds in the years 1569 and 1584, and other sources (1889) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, Publications, number 29. Part 2, covering surnames K-Y.
  [Other copies at: Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University; Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• Visitation of Somerset, 1623 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the Harleian Society edition.
• Frederic Thomas Colby, ed., The visitation of the county of Somerset In the Year 1623. (1876) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 11.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 ;  4 .]
• Joseph Jackson Howard, ed., The visitation of Suffolke, made ... 1561, with additions from family documents, original wills, Jermyn, Davy and other MSS., &c. Volume 1. (1866) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• Joseph Jackson Howard, ed., The visitation of Suffolke, made ... 1561, with additions from family documents, original wills, Jermyn, Davy and other MSS., &c. Volume 2. (1868 etc) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• Walter C. Metcalfe, ed. The Visitations of Suffolk, made ... 1561, ... 1577, and ... 1612, with notes and an appendix of additional Suffolk pedigrees (1882) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• W. Bruce Bannerman, ed., The visitations of the county of Surrey made and taken in the years 1530 ... 1572 ...and 1623 ... (1899) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, Publications, volume 43.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, ed., Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches between the years 1586 and 1613, ... by Lewys Dwnn ... volume 1. (1846) (Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University)
• Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick, ed., Heraldic Visitations of Wales and Part of the Marches between the years 1586 and 1613, ... by Lewys Dwnn ... volume 2. (1846) (Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University)
• John Fetherston, ed., The Visitation of the County of Warwick In the Year 1619 ... (1877) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 12.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• Joseph Foster, ed., Pedigrees Recorded at the Heralds' Visitations of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland ... in 1615, and ... in 1666. [1891] (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623 (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the edition of G.W. Marshall (1882)
  The surname index begins here (note that the number appearing in the file name is generally about 5 greater than the page number)
• W. P. W. Phillimore, ed., The visitation of the county of Worcester made in the year 1569, with other pedigrees relating to that county from Richard Mundy's collection (1888) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, Publications, volume 27.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 ;  3 .]
• The Visitation of the County of Worcester made in the year 1569 with other pedigrees relating to that county from Richard Mundy's collection (Nigel Batty-Smith, UK Genealogy Archives)
  Page images, from the edition of W.P.W. Phillimore (Harleian Society, vol.27, 1888)
• Walter C. Metcalfe, ed., The Visitation of the County of Worcester, begun ... 1682, and finished ... 1683 ... With Additions by the Late Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart. (1883) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• Charles Best Norcliffe, ed., The visitation of Yorkshire in the years 1563 and 1564, made by William Flower, esquire, Norroy king of arms. (Bob Boynton, University of Iowa)
  Harleian Society, vol. 16 (1881). PDF file (22 MB).
• Charles Best Norcliffe, ed., The Visitation of Yorkshire in the years 1563 and 1564, ... (1881) (Google Books [Hints and tips])
  Harleian Society, volume 16.
  [Other copies at: Internet Archive - Text Archive:  1 ;  2 .]
• Visitations of the north, or some early heraldic visitations of, and collections of pedigrees relating to, the north of England. Part 2. (Bob Boynton, University of Iowa)
  Surtees Society, vol. 133 (1921). Visitation of Yorkshire 1563-4, and pedigrees of Yorkshire and adjacent counties, 1567. PDF file (11 MB).
• C. H. Hunter Blair, ed., Visitations of the north. Part 4. Visitations of Yorkshire and Northumberland in A.D. 1575, and a book of arms from Ashmole ms. no. 834. (Bob Boynton, University of Iowa)
  Surtees Society, vol. 146 (1932). PDF file (8 MB).
• The visitation of the county of Yorke, begun in A. D. MDCLXV, and finished A. D. MDCLXVI by William Dugdale (Making of America, University of Michigan)
  Choice of images, PDF files or text, with a search facility (but beware of sometimes inaccurate text conversion); from the edition of Robert Davies (Surtees Society, vol. 36, 1859)
• Joseph Foster, Pedigrees of the county families of Yorkshire. Volume 2 - West Riding. (1874) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)
• Joseph Foster, Pedigrees of the county families of Yorkshire. Volume 3 - North and East Riding. (1874) (Internet Archive - Text Archive)