Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Wingfield

 Wingfield

Wingfield, of Shrewsbury, Preston-Brockhurst, & Onslow.

Arms: Argent, on a bend Gules cotticed Sable three pairs of wings in lure points downward of the first, a fleur-di-lis for difference.

Crest of Wingfield, temp. Hen. VIII. two wings displayed Argent united by a cord in fret Or.

The arms of Wingfield, of Shrewsbury, Preston-Brockhurst, & Onslow.

The coat of arms for the surname Wingfield features a classic example of canting heraldry (also known as canting arms or an heraldic pun). The use of wings on the shield is a visual pun that audibly and conceptually alludes to the first syllable of the surname "Wing-field". The "wings in lure" (a term depicting two wings joined together as if in a falconer's lure) are a direct, playful reference to Wing. In heraldry, when blazoning, or describing, a coat of arms, the basic shield is referred to as the "field". Whilst strictly speaking the wings in lure are on the bend, not the field, the heralds would have been quite content to use the fact that on the whole, there are wings (on the) field to make a perfect play on the surname Wingfield. 

The shield is described as: Argent, on a bend Gules cotticed Sable three pairs of wings in lure points downward of the first, a fleur-di-lis for difference. The mention of "a fleur-de-lis for difference" is not part of the primary surname pun. In the historical rules of cadency, this signifies that these specific arms belong to the sixth son of the family (or a cadet branch descending from a sixth son), using the fleur-de-lis to distinguish his line from the main branch.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Willaston

Willaston

Arms: Or, three mullets* two and one Sable (visitations).

Crest: Crest: A demi-lion issuing out of a ducal coronet holding in his paw a mullet (Sable) (Seal 1663)

* Burke's has the mullets pierced.

The arms of Willaston.

There is a traditional heraldic pun (known as a canting coat or armes parlantes) in this coat of arms, but it relies on an archaic spelling and meaning of the surname. While the "mullet" (a star-like charge representing a spur-rowel) might initially seem to have no relationship to the name Willaston, the pun operates on two clever linguistic levels. 

The first is the complex cant upon  "Well-A-Star". In early English and Anglo-Norman heraldry, puns on names were frequently phonetic rather than literal. Surnames ending in "-aston" or "-iston" were often treated by period heralds as a play on "a star" or "east star". The name Willaston (or its variants like Wollaston) was phonetically parsed in heraldic wit as "Well-A-Star" or "Will-A-Star". Because a mullet is the heraldic term for a five, or six-pointed star, placing three prominent stars on the shield directly answered to this verbal joke. 

The second is the aquatic Double-Pun: The "Mullet" Fish. There is a second, overlapping historical joke that applies to this specific family name. Early heraldic lexicographers, most notably Randle Holme III, in his 1688 masterpiece The Academy of Armory, explicitly recorded that the mullet was uniquely used by families like Willaston as a multi-layered pun. In the aquatic world, a mullet is a well-known type of fish. The surname Willaston shares strong historical roots and a nearly identical phonetic origin with the surname Williamson. In the playful, "cheap-shot" logic of medieval heraldry, the family name Williamson/Willaston sounds like "Will's son" or "Will's town". The mullet (fish) was used as a rebus because a young or small mullet fish was historically referred to in various regional English dialects as a "will" or a "willy-fish". Because drawing fish on a shield was sometimes seen as aesthetically less prestigious than geometric shapes, the heraldic designers swapped the literal fish for the geometric star while retaining the exact same phonetic name: a mullet.

By having the lion actively look at and hold a fourth mullet in its paw above the helmet, the heralds were quite literally doubling down on the pun, pointing the viewer's eye directly to the visual clue of the bearer's surname.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Watson

Watson

Watson, William.

Arms: Azure, a hare courant Proper between three suns 2 & 1 Or.

The arms of William Watson, co. Salop.

There is a distinct heraldic pun (known as canting arms or armes parlantes) in this blazon, which was historically borne by John Watson, Bishop of Winchester (1580–1584). This specific coat of arms breaks down into a two-part phonetic and semantic joke on the surname Watson. The Hare (Wat); from the Middle Ages through to early modern English, "Wat" was a standard, affectionate colloquial nickname for a hare (much like "Tom" for a male cat or "Robin" for a redbreast). Therefore, the hare courant (running hare) directly represents "Wat". The Suns (Son): The three suns flanking the hare serve as a literal, visual play on the word "son". When you read the symbols together on the shield, the heraldic elements visually announce "Wat-Sun" (Watson). 

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Wall

 Wall, of Faintree Hall, Shropshire. 

Arms: Per fesse Or and Azure, a fesse battely counter battely between three fleurs-di-lis all counterchanged. Crest: Out of a mural coronet Or a wolf's head Argent charged on the neck with a fesse embattled and counter embattled Gules.

(Granted July 9th 1594)

The arms of Wall, of Faintree Hall, Shropshire. 

The coat of arms and crest for the surname Wall is a textbook example of a canting arm (a heraldic pun or visual rebus). The central fesse is blazoned as "battelly counter-battelly" (also known as embattled, counter-embattled). In classical architecture and fortification, an embattled parapet or wall features alternating indentations and raised sections (crenelations). Visually and etymologically, this represents the stone wall of a castle, punning directly on the surname Wall. 

The crest sits atop a mural crown. As the name implies, a mural crown is styled to look like the top of a stone wall or a fortress. In stories, and probably also in fact, wolves were notorious for trying to breach the walls of sheepfolds, and were known as relentless jumpers of barriers. A wolf leaping over, attacking, or surmounting a wall is a classic heraldic play on the name.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Vickers

 Vickers

Vickers, Rev. J. 

Arms: Ermine a cross double fourchy Argent charged with 5 mullets Gules.

The arms of the Reverend J. Vickers.

Is this a pun, of just descriptive arms? There may be a tenuous heraldic pun in this blazon, centring entirely on the unique style of the cross representing the first letter of the surname and of the whole achievement being based upon Christian symbolism representing the occupation of the bearer. 

We know that a standard cross fourchy (from the French fourché, meaning "forked") has limbs that split into two points like a tuning fork. A cross double fourchy means it is double-forked, resulting in four prongs at the end of each of the four limbs. In Latin and old legal documents, the number four is "Quattuor", but the Roman numeral is written as "IV". Visually, the four-pronged ends resemble a series of "V"s. Historically, the phonetic and written interplay between "V", the Roman numeral "IV" (Four/Fourchy). The cross is charged with 5 mullets (five-pointed stars). In Roman numerals, the number five is represented by the letter "V". Placing exactly 5 of these charges acts as a blatant literal anchor for the initial letter of the Vickers name. While the primary objective of these specific design choices is the phonetic "cant," the choice of tinctures and furs grounds it in traditional medieval symbolism. 

But the shield has more to offer than simply a representation of the first letter of the bearers surname. The deigner of this achievement put a lot of thought into the occupation of the bearer. The usual coat of arms for the surname Vickers has a a straight forward cross fourchy, with the ends split into two, however, here we encounter a cross double fourchy, where the ends are split into four; the number four is clearly important to the armiger's Christianity.

Each arm of the cross is split into four; in biblical numerology, the number four universally symbolises earthly completeness, creation, and universality. While the number three often represents the divine (e.g., the Trinity), four relates to God's total sovereignty and order over the physical, material world He established. On the fourth day of creation, God completed the material universe by bringing the sun, moon, and stars into existence to govern time, seasons, and days. Four is associated with the four points of the compass (North, South, East, West) and the four winds, representing the geographic totality of the globe and God's reach across all nations. In the Scripture, the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) provide a complete earthly witness of Jesus Christ’s life.The Garden of Eden was watered by four rivers. The four Living Creatures seen around the throne in Revelation (often associated with a lion, ox, man, and eagle) represent all of creation worshiping God.

The five red mullets not only represent the V of Roman numerals, but more importantly, are representations of the wounds received during the crucifixion where Jesus suffered five primary wounds: on each of his hands, each of his feet, and his side.

This coat of arms gives us yet more. The ermine (the winter coat of the stoat, a small weasel) holds deep historical and spiritual significance in Christianity, primarily symbolising purity, incorruptibility, and the preservation of faith. This significance stems from two main traditional beliefs about the animal; the "Purity unto Death" Legend where Medieval bestiaries and folklore claimed that an ermine would rather surrender and die at the hands of hunters than soil its pure white coat by hiding in a dirty den. In Christian teaching, this became a powerful metaphor for martyrdom and the believer’s calling to die to sin rather than compromise their soul or faith.  Because of its flawless white winter coat, the fur became a natural symbol for the absolute purity of Jesus and the sinlessness of the Virgin Mary.

All in all, a worthy coat of arms.

Happy Heraldry Day 2026

 

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Tayleur

I have written a lot about the Tayleur Arms (public house) on this weblog charting first my concern over the incorrect Inn Sign, through to its new ownership, destruction by fire, and the eventual resurection of this fine Inn and eating house along with the replacement of the sign to one more fitting for a pub called the Tayleur Arms. Now, I have the pleasure of adding the arms to my gallery of Shropshire's Punning Arms. There is a slight difference in that the sword, in the MS of Mr. Morris, is recorded as being "imbued" that is to say blood stained at the point.

I bring to my reader's attention a rather scathing report of the so called pun by Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms. 

Tayleur

Tayleur, John, of Rodington, Sheriff, 1691.

Arms: Ermine, on a chief Sable, three escallop shells Argent.

Crest: Issuing out of a ducal coronet (Or) a dexter arm in armour embowed holding in the hand a sword point imbrued Proper.

The arms of John Tayleur, of Rodington, Sheriff, 1691.

There is a traditional heraldic joke associated with this coat of arms, though it is a historical misconception rather than a true intentional pun (canting arms). The armorial joke relies on a humorous, non-heraldic interpretation of the technical components of the shield. In traditional heraldic analysis, such as that famously remarked upon by Sir Bernard Burke in his Vicissitudes of Families, the elements are playfully stripped of their noble meaning to describe the literal tools of a tailor (Tayleur). The Ermine fur pattern of the field represents the expensive cloth or material being worked on. The Chief Sable (The black horizontal block at the top of the shield) represents a tailor's cutting board or heavy ironing table. Instead of the holy pilgrim symbols of the Crusades, the escallop shells are instead, jokingly, interpreted as "thrums", the discarded threads, scraps, or fringe left over at the edge of a piece of woven cloth after a tailor cuts a pattern. Burke noted that onlookers cracked this joke to poke fun at the trade origins implied by the family's name. He dryly added that it was "a pun, and not a very clever one".

 

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Singe

 Singe, of Bridgnorth (from Millington of Catstree).

Arms: Azure, three millstones 2 & 1 Argent each charged with a circular mill-rind Sable. Quartering Argent, a eagle displayed with two heads Sable.

Crest: out of a ducal coronet Or an eagle's claw Argent. 

The arms of Singe, of Bridgnorth (from Millington of Catstree).

There is indeed an heraldic pun (canting arms) here, but it isn't for the name Singe, it is a brilliant pun for their original surname Millington. The family that bears these arm, famously the ancestors of the Synge baronets and the celebrated Irish playwright John Millington Synge, originally bore the surname Millington.  The three millstones (each charged with an iron mill-rind) are a direct visual pun on the "Mill-" in Millington. On the crest, the eagle's claw emerging from a coronet, along with the second and third quarters of the full coat of arms (which depict a double-headed eagle), reflects the second half of the name, "-ington," representing an estate or farmstead, often associated with birds of prey in this lineage. 

The name change is a famous piece of family lore. The lineage traces back to the 16th century to a Thomas Millington, who was a choirboy at Bridgnorth. King Henry VIII reportedly heard him sing and commanded that he be called "Singe" instead. The family adopted the surname Synge (pronounced to rhyme with "sing") but rightfully kept their ancestral, pun-filled coat of arms.

Antiquaries write that the Synge family originated in England, tracing their male line to the sixteenth century in Shropshire, where Thomas Millington was known as 'corruptly* called Singe of Bridgnorth'. 

*Historically, the phrase "corruptly called" (or corruptè dictum in Latin) was used by ancient and medieval scholars—like cartographers, historians, and chroniclers, to indicate that a name, place, or term had been mistakenly altered over time. It meant a word was mispronounced, misspelled, or misunderstood.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Ridley

 Ridley

Ridley, of Salop.

Arms: Gules, a chevron Argent between 3 hawks close Or. 

Crest: A greyhound courant Argent collared Gules.

The arms of Ridley, co. Salop.

There is a clear heraldic pun (known as canting arms or armes parlantes) in this coat of arms, but it lies in the hidden Old English etymology of the surname Ridley. While a modern observer might look at a chevron, hawks, and a greyhound and see no immediate connection to the word "Ridley," medieval heralds relied heavily on local dialects, wordplay, and archaic terminology. 

The name Ridley originates from Old English words meaning a "cleared glade" or "reedy ley" (field). However, in medieval hunting and regional dialects, a glade or clearing where hawks were flown or dogs were slipped to chase prey was intimately tied to the concept of "riding" (hunting on horseback) through the open leys. 

The crest of a greyhound courant (running at full speed) is the ultimate symbol of a swift pursuit or "riding down" prey. In medieval falconry, hawks were kept "close" (with wings folded) when they were resting on the falconer's fist while he was riding to the hunt.

Shropshire's Heraldic Puns - Proby

 Proby.

Proby, alias Ap Robyn.

Arms: Ermine, on a fesse gules a lion passant Or. 

Crest: An ostrich's head erased Argent ducally gorged Or in his mouth a key of the last.

Motto: Manus Haec Inimica Tyrannis ("This hand is hostile to tyrants").

The arms of Proby, alias Ap Robyn.

There is a brilliant heraldic pun (known as "canting arms" or armes parlantes) built into both the shield and the crest of this specific coat of arms for the surname Proby (alias Robyn). Historically, this family hailed from Cheshire and later Elton Hall, and their identity as "Robyn" or "Proby" is perfectly reflected in their heraldry. The Shield has a pun on "Robyn". Although this shield features a lion passant, in several older variants and rolls of this specific grant, the animal on the red central stripe (fesse gules) is actually a fox (passant Or), rather than a lion. In Old English and traditional folklore, a common colloquial nickname for a fox was "Reynard" or "Robin" (frequently appearing in historical documents as "Robyn Fox"). Thus, displaying a fox on the shield was a direct pun on their alias surname, Robyn. Over the centuries, subsequent heraldic misinterpretations or upgrades in status frequently saw this fox redrawn as a grander lion passant. 

The Crest: In medieval and early modern heraldic lore, the ostrich was famously (and inaccurately) believed to have a stomach strong enough to digest iron, which is why it is traditionally depicted holding heavy metal objects like iron keys or horseshoes in its beak. The Latin verb "to try", "to test", or "to prove" is probare. An ostrich putting an iron key to the test of its legendary digestive tract is visually "proving" its standard nature. The animal is quite literally performing a test, a "probe", creating a multi-layered pun on the name Proby.

This is a representation of the arms recorded in several older variants and rolls of this specific grant where the animal on the red central stripe (fesse gules) is actually a fox (passant Or), rather than a lion. 

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Praers

 Praers

Prayers

Arms: Gules, a scythe Argent.

The arms of Praers.

There is an historic heraldic pun (known as a canting coat of arms) in the bearings of the Praers family. The visual pun relies on medieval French and Old English vocabulary, playing on the meaning of the surname and heraldic wordplay. The surname Praers (also spelled Praerys or Pryeres) derives from the Anglo-Norman French word praer or praerie, meaning a meadow or pasture (the root of the modern English word prairie). The scythe is the primary agricultural tool used historically for mowing meadows and harvesting grass. By choosing a scythe as their knightly symbol, the Praers family created a delicate allusion to their own name. The coat of arms visually represents the action historically associated with their name's literal meaning: a tool to mow the meadows.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Pointer

One more (selected out of the many) punning image:

Pointer

Pointer, Rev. John

Arms: Sable, three piles the points ending in crosses formée two in base and one in chief Or. 

Crest: A dexter arm bendways vested Sable cuffed Or pointing with the forefinger Proper Or. 

The arms of The Reverend John Pointer.

This is an excellent, and obvious, example of canting arms (or an heraldic pun), which relies on visual wordplay. The puns are woven into both parts of the achievement: The charges on the shield are piles, which are large, downward-pointing triangular shapes. Their downward "points" literalise the surname Pointer. Each of the three piles ends in (or points to) a cross and it is quite possible that the three crosses refer to The Holy Trinity. The crest features a pointing finger, making a second, direct visual reference to the surname. 

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Perton

 Perton

Perton, John, of Barndsley (sic).

Arms: Argent, on a chevron Gules three pears Or. 

Crest: On a mount Vert, a pear tree fructed all Proper.

The arms of John Perton, of Barnsley, Salop.

The surname Perton sounds very similar to the word "pear tree" or "pears." In Old French and Anglo-Norman contexts (which deeply influenced English heraldry), punning on Pear-tree or simply focusing on the pear motif was a clever way to visually announce the family's name to illiterate onlookers on the medieval battlefield. The chevron and the pears are often associated as visual shorthand for pears, tying directly into the phonetic pun. The crest reinforces this pun by featuring a literal pear tree on a mound.

The primary pun rests directly on the surname Perton: The surname Perton originates as an Anglo-Saxon locational name derived from the Old English words pere (pear) and tūn (an enclosure, farmstead, or orchard). It literally translates to "Pear Town" or "Pear Orchard". By filling the coat of arms with three golden pears and crowning it with a pear tree crest, the heralds created a direct, literal visual representation of the name's meaning (Pear-ton).In medieval and early modern England, heralds frequently designed arms based on a purely auditory pun rather than a strict historical meaning. The first syllable of Perton ("Per-") sounds identical or nearly identical to the word "pear" or the French word for pear, "poire". In old West Midlands dialects (where the village of Perton in Staffordshire is located), the distinction between spelling variations like Perton, Parton, and Pearton blurred together, making the auditory connection to the fruit immediate to anyone hearing the name. Perton in Staffordshire is just over the border with Shropshire.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Pelham

 Pelham

It has literally taken me all week to finish this one!

Pelham, John Cresset, of Cound Hall, M.P. for Shropshire.

Arms: Azure, three pelicans Proper vulning their breasts Gules quartered with Gules, two pieces of belt with oval buckles erect and in fesse Or (buckles in chief) 2nd and third Azure, a cross within a bordure Or quartered with Ermine on a bend cotticed Gules 3 crescents Or.

Crest: A peacock in his pride Argent.

The arms of John Cresset Pelham, of Cound Hall, M.P. for Shropshire.

The Pelham coat of arms is famous for containing multiple clever visual puns (known in heraldry as canting arms or "armes parlantes"). A direct pun is achieved through the specific charges. In the 1st and 4th quarters, the three pelicans vulning their breasts are a traditional heraldic symbol of maternal sacrifice, representing Christ's love, but also phonetically alluding to the first syllable of the name Pelham (via the "pelican"). The "Pieces of Belt" (Pelham Buckles); the arms feature Gules, two pieces of belt with oval buckles erect and in fesse Or. This specific buckle badge was adopted to sound like the surname Pel-ham*.  Additionally, the quarterings highlight a famous piece of medieval history. The buckles were granted as an augmentation of honour to Sir John Pelham for his role in the capture of King John of France at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. The blazon also features a second distinct set of arms in the 2nd and 3rd quarters (belonging to the Clinton family), which reflects the historical marriage and combining of the families (as seen in the arms of the Dukes of Newcastle).

Whilst there is no pun in the crest of a peacock in his pride, old writers did have the habit of assigning meanings to heraldic charges (although in reality, there is no definitive meaning to any heraldic charge) and it has been asserted by "writers of old" that the peacock in his pride represents Resurrection and Immortality. This is derived from an ancient Christian and classical myth that a peacock’s flesh never decayed after death. It was used by families to represent spiritual endurance, eternal life, or an uncorruptible lineage with power and prestige: The sweeping, "all-seeing" eye-patterns (ocelli) on the tail feathers traditionally implied alertness, vast knowledge, and protective power.

I have no doubt that the Member of Parliament for Shropshire was immensely proud of his "achievements". If you'll pardon the pun!

*There are two threads to the pun, with two historical events and two "heroes". Both tales play a vital role in the history of the Pelham family, but they serve different functions: the 1356 Poitiers story explains the origin of the buckle emblem, while the 1545 Seaford story explains the spoken pun. The Tale of Poitiers (1356) is the original claim: At the Battle of Poitiers, Sir John Pelham and Sir Roger de la Warr captured the French King, Jean II (John the Good). For this, King Edward III granted Sir John the King's sword belt buckle as a badge of honour. In reality, while the family adopted the buckle as a heraldic emblem shortly after this era, historians widely regard the capture of the King's actual belt as a romanticized family legend. The emblem was more likely adopted because it symbolised a "knight of the household" or royal service. The Tale of Seaford (1545) provides the spoken pun when a French fleet attempted to invade Seaford Bay in 1545. Local landowners and militia under the command of Sir Nicholas Pelham successfully drove the French back to their ships. This part is historically accurate. In revenge for Henry VIII's capture of Boulogne, French Admiral Claude d'Annebault raided the Sussex coast. Sir Nicholas Pelham successfully marshalled the locals to repel the troops. In regard to the Rhyming Pun, the famous Tudor rhyme is inscribed on Sir Nicholas Pelham's memorial in St. Michael’s Church in Lewes, Sussex. It perfectly celebrates the Seaford victory with a play on the family's "buckle" surname: "What time the French sought to have sack't Seafoord, This Pelham did repel them back aboord." While the buckle may, or may not, have originated as a badge of war much earlier, Sir Nicholas Pelham's heroism in 1545 gave the family name the ultimate vocal and visual pun.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Parker

 Parker

Parker, Thomas Netherton, of Sweeney, Esq.

Arms: Sable, three pheons point downward Or on a fess Argent a stag's head cabossed Sable between 2 pellets.

Crest: A stag's head cabossed Sable.

The arms of Thomas Netherton Parker, of Sweeney, Esq.

There is a clear heraldic pun in this blazon, which relies entirely on the occupational origins of the surname Parker. In medieval England, a "Parker" was a high-status official responsible for managing a private hunting park or game reserve. The specific symbols chosen for this shield visually broadcast that profession through multi-layered hunting puns: The Deer Imagery (The Stag's Heads): The presence of a stag's head on the fess and a stag's head cabossed (facing forward, cut off clean behind the ears with no neck showing) as the crest directly references the game animals a Parker was paid to guard and breed: The Hunting Weapons (The Pheons): A pheon is a traditional heraldic term for a broad arrowhead. Placing three pheons pointing downward symbolises arrows raining down or being shot into the ground during a hunt. 

There is also a double meaning; the arms hide a literal joke about hunting terminology: Antler branches are officially called "points" in venery (the art of hunting). The blazon explicitly states the pheons "point downward. "Therefore, the visual setup positions the "points" of the hunting arrows facing down toward the "points" (antlers) of the stag's head. The arms also feature two pellets; in heraldic terms, a pellet is simply a solid black disc, which is technically classified as a "roundel". Because roundels take on different names and meanings depending on their colour, the black pellet, also historically referred to as an ogress or Gunstone, specifically represents bullets, musket balls, or cannonballs. By placing a stag's head alongside the very weapons used to hunt them, the coat of arms acts as a visual riddle for the surname: the keeper of the deer and the hunt.

Shropshire's Heraldic Puns - Onley

 Onley

Onley, of Onslow.

Arms: Gules, crusily Argent on a bend of the second, a mullet Sable. 

The arms of Onley, of Onslow.

Just occasionally something is so obvious that I miss it. I passed this one by when reading the MS and dismissed it as having no canting merit. Then the wonder of the human mind kicks in and when you least expect it the answer just pops up from nowhere and you realise that the pun is staring you in the face. 

There is a clear heraldic pun within this specific blazon, primarily found in the combination of the charge on the bend. The heraldic pun centres on a direct numerical and phonetic play on the surname Onley: "On a bend... a mullet". In the language of heraldry, when a charge is placed on an ordinary like a bend, the word "on" is spoken first (e.g., "on a bend..."). Because only one single mullet (a five-pointed star shape) is specified on that bend, the visual and verbal reading of the shield yields "On[e] ley" (One lea/field or one star on the line).

The Phonetic Slur: When spoken aloud or read by a herald, the phrase "On a bend... a mullet" explicitly emphasizes that there is only "one" item there, phonetically sounding out "One-ley" (Onley). By isolating just a solitary black star on the stripe, the designer deliberately avoided using the common pattern of three mullets, ensuring the shield literally "spoke" the word "One-ley". 

The etymology and roots of the surname Onley can be traced to a few primary geographic and linguistic sources: Old English: Woodland Clearing. Many instances of the surname stem from the Old English words ān (meaning "one", "single", or "solitary") and lēah (meaning "woodland clearing" or "glade"). This indicates the original bearer of the name likely lived in a remote, single clearing in the woods.

It seems likely that the bend is providing a clearing through the many crosslets, it is a lēah. So, we have On(e)lēah. Marvellous!

Shropshire's Heraldic Puns - Moreton

 Moreton

Moreton, Revel, of Shifnal, Sheriff 1742.

Arms: Argent, a chevron Gules between 3 square buckles Sable

Crest: A demi-eagle wings expanded (Azure).

The arms of Revel Moreton, of Shifnal, Sheriff 1742.

Not at first sight canting arms and you'd struggle to find anything remotely like a pun on the name or the etymology of it however, if you know the gentleman's pedigree the answer becomes plain. Erdiswicke says "these were the arms of the family of Engleton with whose armory the Moretons 'invested themselves', in consequence of a marriage with the heiress". The late editor of Eardiswicke adds a crosslet for difference, but no such addition appears in the peerages or on the monuments of Moreton in Shifnal Church and so is most probably an invention. 

So, we now must ask ourselves is there a heraldic pun to be found in the arms Argent, a chevron Gules between 3 square buckles Sable for the surname Engleton?

Indeed there is a visual and linguistic heraldic pun (canting arms) in this design. The three square buckles (or fermailes) are a visual wordplay on the surname Engleton, sounding remarkably like the medieval French word en-gleton or anglet, which means "angle" or "corner". The specific heraldic elements in this design (often historically borne by the Moreton family of Engleton) cleverly encode this pun. The Chevron, a V-shaped ordinary inherently forms sharp angles or corners, playing on the roots of the surname. Because a traditional buckle is characterized by its right-angled shape (and corners), the three buckles visually represent angles.

Looking at the crest, using an eagle for the surname Engleton (or its close variants like Eggleton and Eagleton) is a classic example of canting arms (or "talking arms"). When spoken aloud, the first two syllables of Engleton or Eggleton closely mimic the word "Eagle." Historically, English heraldry was heavily influenced by Anglo-Norman French. The Old French word for eagle is aigle. To a medieval herald, names beginning with Engle-, Eggle-, or Aigle- immediately suggested the "talking" charge (armes parlantes) of an eagle. Families with phonetically identical names, like Eagleton, directly used the bird for this exact reason.

The name is formed from two Old English elements: Engla: The genitive plural of Engle, referring to the Angles (the Germanic tribe that gave England its name). tūn: An Old English word meaning an enclosure, farmstead, or settlement.

Shropshire's Heraldic Puns - Lowe

I have completed many more punning arms but, for the moment, I am rationing those which are published as I have decided to work on an illustrated book. 

Here's one to keep the theme going online, that of Lowe.

Lowe

Lowe, Thomas of Highley, 1623

Arms: Gules, a wolf statant Argent.

Crest: An ermine passant Proper collared Or and lined & ringed Gules.

The arms of Thomas Lowe, of Highley (1623).

This pun exists because the surname Lowe often derives from the Anglo-Norman French word lou or loup, meaning wolf. 

The heraldic pun of the wolf in the surname Lowe relies on canting arms (visual puns on a bearer's name), drawing from the Anglo-Norman word loup or lou and the Latin lupus, both meaning "wolf." Because the medieval spoken language of the English nobility shifted from Norman French to Middle English, Anglo-Norman names like le Lou or le Lu (the wolf) naturally evolved into the phonetic variants Low, Lowe, or Loe. 

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Lethbridge

Lethbridge

Lethbridge, General, of Shrewsbury

Arms: Argent, on a base Vert a bridge embattled and thereon an eagle displayed [possibly Sable]… impaling Azure, a fess between three crescents 2 & 1 Argent.

The arms of General Lethbridge, of Shrewsbury.

The surname Lethbridge is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is primarily a locational name from the county of Devon in South West England. It typically refers to a person who lived near a specific bridge crossing, often interpreted as a "plank bridge" or an elevated waterway.Etymology and Meaning. 

The name is constructed from two Old English elements: Leth- / Lyd-: Derived from an old water-course element (like the river Lew in Devon) or Old English gelēat, which means an open water-course or canal. Bridge: Derived from the Old English brycg, meaning "bridge". Combined, it literally translates to "a bridge over an open water-course" or could poetically mean "ladder bridge" or "plank bridge" (from Old English læddre).

Unlike the arms of the Lethbridge Baronets, these arms have a base Vert rather than "over water"; ''Argent, over water proper, a bridge of five arches embattled gules and over the centre arch a turret in chief an eagle displayed sable charged on the breast with a bezant"

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Huntley

 Huntley

Rev. Webster Huntley, of Alberbury, Vicar.

Arms: Argent, on a chevron between three stag's heads couped Sable as many bugle horns stringed of the field.

Crest: A talbot statant Proper collared and line reflexed Or.

The arms of The Rev. Webster Huntley, of Alberbury, Vicar.

All of the charges in this achievement lend themselves to the recreational pastime of hunting, the stag is the quarry, the talbot is the hunter's aid and the bugle, or hunting horn, typically symbolises a connection to the royal forests, a legacy of noble pursuits, or a historical occupation as a huntsman, forester, or game warden.

The surname Huntley traces its roots to the Old English words hunta (meaning "hunter" or "huntsman") and lēah (meaning a woodland clearing, meadow, or glade). Because this translates literally to "hunter's meadow" or "hunting clearing," the surname was originally used to identify individuals who either lived near a clearing designated for hunting or worked in professions related to the hunt.