The royal line of Plantagenet derived their appellation from the Planta genesta, their very antient badge.
There is certainly some probability that a few of our English surnames, particularly those derived from the animal kingdom, come immediately from an heraldrical source; though it would be a matter of great difficulty positively to ascertain whether the names or the arms were adopted first.
Without attempting to decide, therefore, which had the earliest existence, I shall annex certain surnames of an heraldrical character, which have found their way into our family nomenclature, and give the more prominent features of the blazon borne with those names, leaving it to the reader to form his own conclusions:
1. Cross. Many families of this name bear crosses and crosslets.
2. Saltire bears billets and a bordure, but not the ordinary so called.
3. Cheveron bears two cheverons.
4. Canton. Several families are so designated, but not one of them bears the canton of heraldry.
5. Billet. The same remark applies.
6. Gore. In various coats, crosslets, lions and bars, but not one gore, the only hint at the name being bulls’ heads in two or three coats.
7. Pile. A cross and four nails.