Heralds' Visitations
Heralds' Visitations contain pedigree charts, and in many cases coats of arms, of families documented when the Heralds visited each county, from the early 16th century to the late 17th century.
The Heralds were responsible for ensuring that people claiming or using coats of arms were entitled to do so, through either being granted their own arms or being directly descended in the male line from an ancestor to whom they had been granted.
These books contain some of the earliest documented pedigrees, and have been largely published by The Harleian Society (and others) since the late 19th century.
List of Heralds' Visitations volumes
| Title | Description |
| Pedigrees from the Visitations of Hampshire 1530-1634 | Pedigrees from the Visitation of Hampshire made by Thomas Benolt, Clarenceulx anno 1530 enlarged with the Vissitation of the same county made by Robert Cooke, Clarenceulx anno 1575, both wich are continued with the Vissitation made by John Phillipott, Somersett [for William Camden, Clarenceux] in anno 1622 most part and then don and finished in anno 1634 as collected by Richard Mundy in Harleian MS. No. 1544. Edited by W. Harry Rylands, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London 1913. Harleian Society volume 64. |
| The Four Visitations of Berkshire, 1532, 1566, 1623, and 1665-66 volume 1 | The Four Visitations of Berkshire made and taken: by Thomas Benolte, Clarenceux, Anno 1532; by William Harvey, Clarenceux, Anno 1566; by Henry Chitting, Chester Herald, and John Philipott, Rouge Dragon, for William Camden, Clarenceux, Anno 1623; by Elias Ashmole, Windsor Herald, for Sir Edward Bysshe, Clarenceux, Anno 1665-66. Edited by W. Harry Rylands, F.S.A. volume I, published by the Harleian Society, London, 1907. Harleian Society volume 56. |
| The Four Visitations of Berkshire, 1532, 1566, 1623, and 1665-66 volume 2 | The Four Visitations of Berkshire, 1532, 1566, 1623, 1665-66. volume II. Additional pedigrees and notes. Edited by W. Harry Rylands, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society, London, 1908. Harleian Society volume 57. |
| The Visitation of Cambridge, 1575 and 1619 | The Visitation of Cambridge made in anno 1575 continued and enlarged with the Vissitation of the same county made by Henery St. George, Richmond Herald, Marshall and Deputy to William Camden, Clarenceulx, in anno 1619, with many other descents added thereto. Edited by John W. Clay, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London, 1897. Harleian Society volume 41. |
| The Visitation of Cheshire, 1580 | The Visitation of Cheshire in the year 1580, made by Robert Glover, Somerset Herald, for William Flower, Norroy King of Arms, with numerous addtions and continuations, including those from the Visitation of Cheshire made in the year 1566, by the same Herald. With an appendix containing The Visitation of a Part of Cheshire in the year 1533, made by William Fellows, Lancaster Herald, for Thomas Benolte, Clarenceux King of Arms. And a fragment of The Visitation of the City of Chester in the year 1591, made by Thomas Chaloner, Deputy to the office of arms. Edited by John Paul Rylands, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London, 1882. Harleian Society volume 18. |
| The Visitation of Cumberland 1615 | The Visitation of the County of Cumberland, in the year 1615 taken by Richard St. George, Norroy King of Arms. Edited by John Fetherston, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London 1872. Harleian Society volume 7. |
| The Visitation of Dorset, 1623 | The Visitation of Dorset, 1623 |
| The Visitation of Kent, 1619 | The Visitation of Kent, taken in the years 1619 - 1621. By John Philipot, Rouge Dragon, Marshall and Deputy to William Camden, Clarenceux. Edited by Robert Hovenden, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London 1900. |
| The Visitation of Kent, 1663-1668 | A Visitation of the County of Kent, begun 1663 finished 1668, by Sir Edward Bysshe, Kt., Clarenceux King of Arms. edited by Sir George J. Armytage, Bart., F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in 1906 (Harleian Society volume 54). |
| The Visitation of London 1568 | The Visitation of London in the year 1568. Taken by Robert Cooke, Clarenceux King of Arms, and since augmented both with descents and arms. Edited by Joseph Jackson Howard, LL.D., F.S.A., and George John Armytage, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London 1869. Harleian Society volume 1. |
| The Visitation of London 1633-35 vol1 | The Visitation of London Anno Domini 1633, 1634, and 1635. Made by Sr. Henry St. George, Kt. Richmond Herald and deputy and marshal to Sr Richard St. George Kt. Clarencieux King of Armes. Volume 1. Edited by Joseph Jackson Howard, LL.D., F.S.A. and Joseph Lemuel Chester, LL.D. published by the Harleian Society 1880. |
| The Visitation of Rutland, 1618 | The Visitation of Rutland, 1618 |
| The Visitation of Shropshire, 1623 | The Visitation of Shropshire, TAKEN IN THE YEAR 1623 BY ROBERT TRESSWELL, SOMERSET HERALD, AND AUGUSTINE VINCENT, ROUGE CROIX PURSUIVANT OF ARMS; Marshals and Deputies to William Camden, Clarenceux King of Arms. WITH ADDITIONS FROM THE PEDIGREES OF SHROPSHIRE GENTRY TAKEN BY THE HERALDS IN THE YEARS 1569 AND 1684, AND OTHER SOURCES. EDITED BY GEORGE GRAZEBROOK, F.S.A., AND JOHN PAUL RYLANDS, F.S.A OF THE MIDDLE TEMPLE, BARRISTER-AT-LAW. Published by the Harleian Society in 1889 (volumes 28 and 29). |
| The Visitation of the County of Buckingham, 1634 | The Visitation of the County of Buckingham made in 1634, by John Philipot, Esq., Somerset Herald, and William Ryley, Bluemantle Pursuivant, Marshalls and Deputies to Sir Richard St. George, Knight, Clarenceux, and Sir John Borough, Knight, Garter, who visited as Norroy by mutual agreement; including the church notes then taken. Together with Pedigrees from the Visitation made in 1566 by William Harvey, Esq., Clarenceux, and some pedigrees from other sources. Being a transcript of MS. Eng. Misc. C. 17 in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, with additions. Edited by W. Harry Rylands, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London 1909. Harleian Society volume 58. |
| The Visitation of the County of Devon, 1564 | The Visitation of the County of Devon, 1564 |
| The Visitation of the County of Gloucester, 1623 | The Visitation of the County of Gloucester, 1623 |
| The Visitation of the County of Somerset, 1623 | The Visitation of the County of Somerset, 1623 |
| The Visitation of the County of Surrey 1662-1668 | A Visitation of the County of Surrey begun 1662, finished 1668, by Sr Edward Bysshe, Kt., Clarenceux King of Armes. Edited by Sir George Armytage, Bart., F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London 1910. Harleian Society volume 60. |
| The Visitation of the County of Warwick, 1619 | The Visitation of the County of Warwick in the year 1619. Taken by William Camden, Clarencieux King of Arms, (Harl. MSS. 1167.) Edited by John Fetherston, F.S.A., published by the Harleian Society in London 1877. Harleian Society volume 12. |
| The Visitation of the County of Worcester, 1569 | The Visitation of the County of Worcester, 1569 |
| The Visitation of Yorkshire 1665-1666 | The Visitation of the County of Yorke, begun in 1665 and finished in 1666, by William Dugdale, Esq. Norroy King of Armes. Published by the Surtees Society in 1860 for the year 1859, by George Andrews, Durham; Whittaker & Co., 13, Ave Maria Lane; T. & W. Boone, 29, New Bond Street, London; Blackwood & sons, Edinburgh. Contains pedigree charts of Yorkshire armigerous families taken at the time of the Visitation. |
| The Visitations of Bedfordshire 1566, 1582, and 1634 | The Visitations of Bedfordshire 1566, 1582, and 1634 |
| The Visitations of Cornwall, 1530, 1573, & 1620 | The Visitations of Cornwall, comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1530, 1573, & 1620 with additions by Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Vivian. Published in 1887 Contains pedigrees of the Cornish gentry and armigerous families, taken by the Heralds and supplemented with extra research by the author. |
| The Visitations of Hertfordshire, 1572 and 1634 | The Visitations of Hertfordshire, 1572 and 1634 |
| The Visitations of Norfolk, 1563 and 1613 | The Visitacion of Norffolk made and taken by William Hervey, Clarencieux King of Arms, Anno 1563, enlarged with another Visitacion made by Clarenceux Cooke, with many other descents; and also the Vissitation made by John Raven, Richmond, Anno 1613, edited by Walter Rye, published by the Harleian Society in London 1891. |
| The Visitations of Nottinghamshire, 1569 and 1614 | The Visitations of the County of Nottingham in the years 1569 and 1614, with many other descents of the same County. Edited by George William Marshall, LL.M., published by the Harleian Society in London 1871. Harleian Society volume 4. |
| The Visitations of Oxford 1566, 1574, and 1634 | The Visitations of the County of Oxford, taken in the years 1566 by William Harvey, Clarencieux, 1574 by Richard Lee, Portcullis, Deputy of Robert Cooke, Clarencieux, and in 1634 by John Philpott, Somerset, and William Ryley, Bluemantle, deputies of Sir John Burrough, Kt., Garter, and Richard St. George, Kt., Clarencieux. Together with The Gatherings of Oxfordshire, collected by Richard Lee in 1574. edited and annotated by William Henry Turner, published by the Harleian Society in 1871 (Harleian Society volume 5) |
| The Visitations of the County of Devon, 1531, 1564, & 1620 | The Visitations of the County of Devon, comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564, & 1620, with additions by Lieutant-Colonel J.L. Vivian, published for the author by Henry S. Eland, Exeter 1895 |