Killick Heraldry

According to the College of Arms in London, there are no records of a Grants of Arms being made to a Killick. Sir Stephen Killik did obtain a Grant in the 20^th Century which is on the right below.

There are though references to Killick ‘Coats of Arms’ in some publications, including that illustrated on the left.

This is described as being:

Argent a chevron between three pick-axes, sable. — Crest, a swan wings addorsed, argent

Following correspondence with the College of Arms, and as described below, this armorial device was adopted by Henry Fison Killick in the early part of the 20th Century.

Henry Fison Killick advised in notes made in 1927:

“The meaning of the word ‘Killick’ can be ‘a small anchor’, and was formerly, if not now, used to indicate a pickaxe, or the arm or striking part of that implement.

The coat of arms attributed to the name or family of Killicke in the Appendix to Robson’s British Herald published in 1830; in Papworth & Morant’s Dictionary of Coats of Arms (London, 1874) and in Burke’s General Armory (Ed.l884) are as follows:

Argent a chevron between three pickaxes sable. Crest: Swan wings addorsed (i.e., back to back) argent."

Henry Fison Killick asked why the surname, spelt as ‘Killick’, is more generally than elsewhere found in the area where Sussex, Surrey and Kent adjoin. He assumed that in London the existence of the name arose from migration.

He noted that there seemed at first sight to be nothing in the district which could lead to the adoption of a surname based on the name of an implement such as an anchor or a pickaxe. However, surnames can be derived from occupations, and form at least Roman times until the 19th century, The Weald to was one of the great iron-producing and smelting districts of England.

A pickaxe naturally suggests delving and digging, and thus might easily lead to a personal and family name given to a person who was employed in or connected with the industry of mining or quarrying and to be often seen carrying a pickaxe.

Encyclopedia Britannica defines a pickaxe or double-pointed pick as the special tool of those engaged in mining.

Therefore, Henry F Killick summarised that the evidence, while showing the meaning of the word, points with reasonable probability to a derivation of the name and the origin of the Arms. None of the authorities who gave the arms and crest attributed to the family of Killick give any information on the subject beyond the bare description of the Grant.

The use of pickaxes or killicks in the shield could reflect the family name of the person bearing the arms. Thus there is some circumstantial evidence of a possible and not unreasonable explanation of the name and its origin. John de Killicke, or John of the Pickaxe, might naturally develop into John Killicke.

According to Samuel Kent’s Grammar of Heraldry (London,1716), the Worshipful Company of Vintners bear as their Arms:

In Fox’s Davies’ Book of Public Aims (London,1915), the Arms of the Vintners Company are blazoned as:

Both forms are similar to the Killick Arms.

If we suppose that the original Grant was made to John Kyllyk, Citizen & Vintner, the pickaxe, which might have been known to him as a ‘killick’, would be appropriate as a 'canting' or 'allusive' theme. The form of the shield with chevron and using similar colours to the Vintners Arms and a crest of a swan wings addorsed would remind him of his Guild and of jovial excursions on Swan-upping days.

Therefore, it reasonable to assume that the Killick shield as has been described might have been used by or granted to John Kyllyk the Vintner. It can also be used by those who with reasonable probability may be descended from him. Whether this theory as to the origin of the arms is correct whether, Henry Fison Killick, or any of us,  are descended from the old Vintner, will probably never be known!

However, in the first decade of the Twentieth Century Henry Fison Killick recounts  how he satisfied myself that he could properly and lawfully assume and use the arms and crest and did so paying for an annual licence to do so.

Henry cited as authority for  assuming the arms an article “The Armiger” by E.M.Chadwick in the Journal of the Royal Archeological Institute, Vol.58, p.305. This justifies such an assumption and cites authorities including the “Boke of St.Albans”, stating that there was then no law or authority in England which could interfere with or prevent any person from bearing arms by an assumptive title if they are properly heraldic and not already borne by some other person.

The “Boke of St.Albans” which is said to be the earliest statement of the heraldic law of England was quoted by Henry as follows:

“There are four ways in which arms may lawfully be acquired:

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