The landed gentry and nobility of Devonshire, like the rest of the English and European gentry, bore heraldic arms from the start of the age of heraldry circa 1200–1215. The fashion for the display of heraldry ceased about the end of the Victorian era (1901) by which time most of the ancient arms-bearing families of Devonshire had died out, moved away or parted with their landed estates.For a discussion of the disappearance of the old gentry families of Devon, see Sabine Baring-Gould, Old Country Life, first published 1889, 5th ed., 1894, pp. 7-22, Old County Families
In the 21st century, a very few ancient families remain in the county represented by direct male descendants, including Courtenay of Powderham, Fulford of Fulford, Kelly of Kelly, Cruwys of Cruwys Morchard, Clifford of Chudleigh, Acland of Killerton and Broadclyst, Wrey of Tawstock. A few ancient Devon estates are still owned by descendants via female lines, for example Castle Hill, Filleigh, Molland, Incledon, Braunton, Hall, Bishop's Tawton, Newnham Park. In most cases, the laws of English heraldry preclude the transmission of paternal arms via a female heiress (other than in the form of quartering), thus most of these inheritors via female lines bring their own paternal heraldry to the estates inherited.
For example, the Irish arms of Gore (Earl of Arran) are now associated with Castle Hill, Filleigh, until 1958 the seat of the last male representative of the Fortescue family, which originated in Devon in the 12th century. In a few cases, however, male heirs via female lines have been required by the legator to seek royal licence to adopt his own arms and surname, otherwise destined to disappearance, in lieu of the legatees own. This was the case with the families most notably of Rolle, Basset, Stucley, Walrond, etc.
The antiquary Sir William Pole (died 1635) compiled a list of blazons of Devon families. It was published with much other material in 1791 as Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon.Pole, Sir William (died 1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791. pp. 467–510
List of Devon arms The following armorials are listed in the Heraldic Visitations of Devon, 1531, 1564 & 1620:
A Name Escutcheon Blazon Seat, parishAbbottSable, a cross voided between four eagles displayed orHartland Abbey; LuffincottAclandChequy argent and sable, a fesse gulesAcland Barton, Landkey; Holnicote, Somerset; Killerton, Devon; Fremington House, Fremington; Hawkridge, Chittlehampton; Combe, Goodleigh; Sprydon, BroadclystAdamsOr, a lion rampant between six crosses crosslet within a bordure engrailed sableTownstal, Dartmouth; Bowden, Ashprington(?); (Charlton Adam, Ilchester, Somerset)Addington Per pale ermine and ermines, on a chevron between three fleurs-de-lys four lozenges all counterchangedLeighAleynPer bend rompu argent and sable, six martlets counterchangedBamptonAmadasAzure, a chevron ermine between three oaken slips acorned properPlymouthAmeridethGules, a lion rampant regardant orPole,Pole, p. 287; Polwhele, Richard, History of Devonshire, 3 Vols., Vol.3, London, 1793, p. 478 SlaptonAmoryBarry nebulé of six argent and gules, over all a bend azureWhitechapel, Bishops NymptonArscottPer chevron azure and ermine in chief two buck's heads cabossed orArscott, Holsworthy;Hoskins, p. 411 Dunsland, Bradford; Tetcott; Annery, MonkleighAshe/Aysshe/EsseArgent, two chevrons sableSowton, alias Clist Fomeson/SomsonAtwill Argent, a chevron sable over all a pile counterchangedMamhead; WalkhamptonAyreGules, on a bend between six crosses formée fitchée argent three mullets sableWotton, AtheringtonAyshfordArgent, between two chevrons sable three ashen keys vertAyshford, Burlescombe
B Name Escutcheon Blazon Seat, parishBabingtonArgent, ten torteaux in chief a label of three points azureOttery St MaryBadcockeSable, on a pale argent three cocks gulesShebbearBaggLozengy argent and gules, on a chief or three cinquefoils azurePlymouth; Saltram, Plympton St MaryBallArgent, a chevron gules between three fire balls properMamheadBampfylde/BampfieldOr, on a bend gules three mullets argentPoltimore; North Molton; Warleigh, Tamerton Foliot; Bampfield House, ExeterBarby Argent, a chevron between three garbs orWashfieldBarkleySable, a fess ermine between three cinquefoils argentOkenbury, RingmoreBarryBarry of six argent and gulesWinscott, St Giles in the WoodBartlettErmine, on a pale nebulée azure three sinister gloves pendent tasselated argent the whole between two flaunches of the second each charged with two crescents palewise of the thirdLudbrooke, ErmingtonBassetBarry wavy of six or and gulesWhitechapel, Bishops Nympton; Umberleigh; Heanton Punchardon; Watermouth CastleBastardOr, a chevron azureEfford, Egg Buckland; Garston, West Alvington; Kitley, Yealmpton; Sharpham, Ashprington; Lyneham, Yealmpton; Buckland Court, Buckland-in-the-MoorBattishillAzure, a cross-crosslet in saltire between four owls argent legged and beaked orSouth Tawton; Drewsteignton; SpreytonBeapleGules, a bend vairy between six escallops argentBarnstaple; Knowstone;BeaumontBarry vair and gulesYoulston, Shirwell; GittishamBellewSable fretty orStockleigh English; Ash, BrauntonBellotArgent, on a chief sable three cinquefoils of the fieldDowntonBennettSable, a chevron engrailed erminois between three ears of wheat orWhiteway, ChudleighBere (alias Beare)Argent, three bear's heads erased sable muzzled orHuntsham; MorebathBerryOr, three bars gulesBerrynarborBerymanArgent, a chevron between three horses trippant sableBerrie, (Dunsford?)BickfordArgent, a chevron engrailed between three martlets sableBickington, DunslandBidlakeGules, a fess between three pigeons argentGreat Bidlake, BridestoweBishopGules, three lozenges argent each charged with an eagle displayed of the field"Coldash/Choldashe"BlackallPaly of six or and sable on a chief gules three bezantsCowick; Hampsted, TotnesBlackmoreOr, on a fess sable between three Moor's heads in profile couped of the last as many crescents argentBishop's NymptonBlagdon / BlackdonAzure, three trefoils slipped argent on a chief indented gules two annulets orBlackdon, Ashwater (?)BlewettOr, a chevron between three eagles displayed vertHolcombe Rogus; (And in Somerset: Greenham Barton; Cothay Manor; Kittisford)BodleyArgent, five martlets saltirewise sable on a chief azure three ducal crowns orDunscombe, Crediton; ExeterBoganSable, a cockatrice (displayed) argent crested membered and jelloped gulesTotnesBolithoErmine, on a plain chevron between two chevronels engrailed and three fleurs-de-lys sable five bezantsExeter; Holcombe BurnellBonvilleSable, six mullets argent pierced gulesShuteBourchierArgent, a cross engrailed gules between four water bougets sableTawstock; BamptonBowermanErmine, on a bend cotised sable three boar's heads couped orCulm Davy, Hemyock; Whitehall, HemyockBroughtonArgent, on a chevron between three crosses pommée sable as many buck's heads cabossed or on a chief of the second a goat passant of the firstWarbrightley (modern: Waspley), StoodleighVivian, p. 111: "Warbrightley"; Risdon, p. 66: "Warbrighsleigh", Warbrighsleigh Beacon (formerly known as "Warpsley" Beacon), today Stoodleigh Beacon, 1/2 mile N-E of which is "Waspley" Farm (Ordnance Survey map), 2 miles west of Stoodleigh Church; See: Vivian, p. 400, mentioning Broughton of "Warpsley"BrowneGules, a chevron ermine between two chevronells and three escallops orBrown's Ilash,Vivian, p. 112: Brown, Brownishilarshe; Risdon, p. 271: Ilash; today apparently represented by West Browns and East Browns, about 1 mile S-W of Langtree village LangtreeBrutonPer pale gules and azure, a fess between two chevrons argentHeavitreeBudockshedSable, three fusils in fess between three buck's faces argentBudockshed, St BudeauxBurgoyneAzure, a hound passant argentSouth TawtonBurnardArgent, three escallops in bend between two bendlets azure in chief and in base a leopard's face jessant-de-lys of the lastChatsworth Lodge, Compton GiffordBurnbyArgent, two bars counter-embattled erminesBurnby, Bratton ClovellyBurringtonArgent, a lion rampant sable flory orIdford, Chudleigh; SandfordBuryErmine, on a bend engrailed azure three fleurs-de-lys orColleton, ChulmleighButlerAzure, three covered cups orParkham; Littleham
C