Darcy Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

This is a local surname of Norman origin meaning “de Arcy” or “of Arcy”. Spelling variants include Darcey and D’Arcy. One author notes that the surname Audresset, apparently the same name, still exists in the Norman town of Louviers. One author notes that the last name is a place name from Arcy in Manche, a department in Normandie, France, which was named for a Gaulish personal name. It derives from the Gaelic word corcha, meaning dark or gloomy. In Ireland, it is an anglicized form of O’Dorchaidhe, meaning descendant of the dark one.

Early notables include Norman de Areci was a tenant-in-chief in county Lincoln, the principal seat of the family for several generations, in during the time of William the Conqueror. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 AD mention Osbert de Arcy, Roger de Arci, Thomas Darcy, Norman Darcy, Norman Darci, and Henry Darci, all recorded in county Lincolnshire. Early recorded marriages include Robert Darsey to Johanna Bassett in London in 1525 AD, Penellopey Darsey to Sir George Trencher at St. James Clerkenwell in 1610 AD, and John Darcy to Elizabeth Minifee in 1795 AD at St. George’s Hanover Square.

Bernard Burke’s book “The Landed Gentry” discusses four branches of this surname: D’Arcy of Castle Park, D’Arcy New
Forest, D’Arcy of Hyde Park, and Darcy of Kilcroney. D’Arcy of Castle Park is a branch of the great Anglo-Norman family with the following notables: Patrick D’Arcy of Kiltullagh (1598-1668) a member of the House of Commons from Dublin and his son, James D’Arcy who married Franches Trushout, a lady of Brittany, whose father served under King Louis XIII of

France. Another member of this family was Hyacinth D’Arcy (1665-1743), of Kiltullagh, a captain in the army. The D’Arcy family of New Forest traces its lineage to Martin D’Arcy, High Sherriff of county Galway, who married Christick, daughter of Richard Martin, and died in prison in 1636. Also included in this family was one Dominick D’Arcy, of Rockyale in county Clare  who married Elizabeth Butler and had three sons: Richard, James, and Dominick. The D’Arcy family of Hyde Park traces its lineage back to William, D’Arcy of

Plattyn in county Meath, who was the son of Sir John D’Arcy, the Lord Justice of Ireland. Lastly, the notable discussed for Darcy of Kilcroney was Matthew Peter Darcy of Clonkines in county Wexford and Kilcroney and Bray in county Wicklow who married Emma Knaresburgh in 1853 and had two children: John and William. He served as High Sheriff for the City of Dublin in 1872.

Early notables in America were Richard Darcy who settled in Maryland in 1637, Elizabeth Darcy who settled in Virginia in 1658, and Michael Darcy who settled in Boston in 1767.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (or D’Arcy) (founded in England by Norman de Areci, to whom William the Conqueror gave 33 lordships in co. Lincoln). (Lord Darcy. Philip Darcy was summoned to Parliament 1299. Barony in abeyance since temp. Edward III.). (Lord Darcy. John Darcy, brother of Philip, Lord Durey, was summoned to Parliament 1332. Barony in abeyance since 1418). Az. semee of cross crosslets and three cinquefoils ar.
2) (or D’Arcy) (Lord Darcy of Chiche. Sir Thomas Darcy, Vice Chamberlain of the King’s Household, was so created 1551. Barony extinct 1639). Ar. three cinquefoils gu. Crest—A demi woman hair flowing ppr. vested gu. holding in the dexter hand three red roses slipped and leaved vert. Supporters—Dexter, a goat ar. unguled, tufted, and horned or; sinister, a buck erm. unguled and crined or. Motto—Vertu cerehe honneur.
3) (or D’Arcy) (Lord D’Arcy of Aston. Sir Thomas D’Arcy, brother of Lord Darcy, whose title fell into abeyance 1418, was summoned to Parliament 1509; attainted 1538; title restored to his son by Act of Parliament 1548; extinct 1635). Az. semee of cross crosslets and three cinquefoils ar. Crest—A bull pass. sa. armed, hoofed, horned, maned, and tufted or. Supporters—Dexter, a tiger ar. armed gu.; sinister, a bull sa. hoofed, homed, maned, and tufted or. Motto—Je loue Dieu Grace attendant.

4) (or D’Arcy) (Earl of Holderness: descended from Lord D’Arcy of Aston, created 1682, extinct 1778). (Lord D’arcy of Navan. James Darcy, brother of the 1st Earl of Holderness, was so created in the Peerage of Ireland 1721, extinct 1733). Az. semee of cross crosslets and three cinquefoils erm. Crest—A spear broken in three pieces or, two in saltire, the other in pale headed ppr., banded together at the middle by a ribbon gu. Supporters—Dexter, a tiger ar. maned and tusked or; sinister, a bull sa. armed and maned or. Motto—Un Dieu un Roi.
5) (or D’Arcy) (St. Osiths, co. Essex, bart.; extinct 1698; descended from John Darcy, of Tolleshunt, co. Essex, second son of Robert Darcy, Sheriff of Essex 1420, great grandfather of the 1st Lord Darcy of Chiche). Ar. three cinquefoils gu.
6) (Colchester). Ar. three cinquefoils pierced gu.
7) (Witton Castle, cos. Durham, and Northampton). Az. semee of cross crosslets and three cinquefoils ar. Crest—On a chapeau gu. turned up erm. a bull sa.
8) (St. Clere’s Hall, co. Essex). At. three cinquefoils gu. Crest—A demi virgin, holding in the right hand a branch of cinquefoils, all ppr.
9) (co. Lincoln). Ar. three roses gu. (another, the tinctures reversed).
10) (co. Lincoln). Same Arms, within a bordure engr. gu.

11) (co. Lincoln). Ar. an inescutcheon az. within an orle of eight cinquefoils gu.
12) (co. Norfolk). Sa. a chev. betw. three dolphins naiant, embowed ar.
13) Gu. three cinquefoils ar. a label az.
14) Ar. three roses gu. within a bordure indented (another, engr.) sa.
15) Or, an orle ermines within eight cinquefoils sa.
16) Ar. an inescutcheon sa. within an orle of eight martlets gu.
17) Ar. a fesse engr. betw. three cinquefoils gu.
18) Ar. three escutcheons within a bordure gu.
19) Sa three martlets or.
20) (or D’Arcy) (Hyde Park. co. Westmeath, descended from Sir John D’Arcy, named Le Cousin, chief governor of Ireland temp. Edward I., II., and III., and Joan, his second wife, widow of the Earl of Kildare, and dau. of De Burgh, Earl of Ulster). Az. semee of crosses crosslet and three cinquefoils ar. Crest—On a chapeau gu. turned up erm. a bull sa. armed or. Mottn—Un Dieu un Roi.

21) (or D’Arcy) (Kiltullagh and Clifton, co. Galway). (New Forest, co. Galway). Arms, same as preceding. Crest—A spear broken in three pieces or, headed ar. and banded together in the middle by a riband gu. Motto—Un Dieu un Roi.
22) (Galway, Fun. Ent. of Martin Darcy, Esq., of Galway, d. in Dublin 3 June, 1636, buried at St. Dominick’s Abbey, Galway). Ar. a cross betw. four crosses pattee sa.
23) (Reg. Ulster’s Office). Same Arms. Crest—A cubit dexter arm einbowed in chain armour, the hand grasping a spear in bend sinister, point downwards, all ppr.
24) (alias alias Darsie). (Galway). Or, a cross betw. four crosses sa. Crest—A cross sa.