Oates Family Coat of Arms

From the book, "Our Family Heritage", by Minnie Speer Boone.
Describing the Oates Family Coat of Arms.

The bear was not only the largest carnivorous animal of Europe, it was also the strongest and mightiest. It was therefore selected by the Danes as their symbol. Their kings - both of Denmark and of England - were called fairie bears.

The boar had rather die than yield or run, so the boars head denotes perseverance. Owing to the antiquity of the grant, there is no motto to the Oates display of arms.

Shield -- Argent (silver). Bear rampant (fighting position) black, muzzle gules (red).
Crest -- Boars head erased (torn off) silver.

Traditions

The Oates family is of Danish descent. There is nothing authentic about the origin of the name. Bardsley, who is an authority on surnames, says it was probably anglicized from the Danish word "Utz". The U was umlaut and the name was pronounced as though it was Oats or Oates.

The family came into England before the time of recorded history, possibly as early as the ninth century. The name is found in the Domesday Book, Ragman's Roll and the Roll of Hundreds. In Cornwall, they owned the great castles of Perran Saboline and St. Agnes.