Fish Coat of Arms / Fish Family Crest
This surname FISH was occasionally selected because of its associations with the Hebrew given name of YONA or JONAH, because Jonah in the book of the Bible that bears his name, was swallowed up by ‘a Great Fish’ and blessed by his father Jacob, with the words ‘Let them grow into a multitude’.
Surnames as we know them today were first assumed in Europe from the 11th to the 15th century. They were not in use in England or Scotland before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and were first found in the Domesday Book of 1086. The employment in the use of a second name was a custom that was first introduced from the Normans. They themselves had not long before adopted them.
It became, in course of time, a mark of gentler blood, and it was deemed a disgrace for gentleman to have but one single name, as the meaner sort had. It was not until the reign of Edward 11 (1307-1327) it became general practice amongst all people.
FISH was derived from the Old English FISC – a nickname. Fisc occurs as a personal name from County Norfolk, in the Domesday Book of 1086. Other records of the name mention Ernish Fish of the County of Lancashire in 1202. Robert le Fysch of the County of Northumberland was documented in 1297. Robert le Fissh was recorded in County Somerset in the year 1327. Radulphus Fysche of Yorkshire was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379.
The bulk of European surnames in countries such as England and France were formed in the 13th and 14th centuries. The process started earlier and continued in some places into the 19th century, but the norm is that in the 11th century people did not have surnames, whereas by the 15th century they did.
The associated arms are recorded in Sir Bernard Burkes General Armory. Ulster King of Arms in 1884. Arms registered at Kempton Park, County Middlesex. In the Middle Ages heraldry came into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to distinguish the armoured warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in the middle of the 12th century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries of Western Europe.