Payne's Armorial of Jersey, a book on the histories of Jersey families published in 1859, has proved to be one of the most important reference works for genealogists researching those families. But genealogy was never its primary purpose. Payne was most interested in coats of arms, and also in making money from those families who claimed the entitlement to a coat of arms.
Quite how justified those claims were is, in perhaps the majority of cases, now open to considerable doubt, but in the Victorian age of elitism it was very fashionable to lay claim to such heraldic entitlement. And considerable legitimacy was lent to those claims by inclusion in works such as Payne's Armorial. Inclusion, however, came at a price, because a family's presence in the book was only guaranteed by payment, and only the wealthiest of families could afford such a luxury.
The choice of which family histories and family trees to include in the book was dictated largely by these payments and as a genealogical work the Armorial is, therefore, very selective.
As a record of coats of arms in use in 19th century Jersey it is quite comprehensive, even if the entitlement to use these coats of arms and their accuracy has been called into question by later authorities.
It will be seen in the gallery of images below that many of the coats of arms as produced by J Bertrand Payne for his work were highly embellished. Entitlement to a coat of arms was, as can be seen below, highly popular with members of the clergy and Army and Navy officers (including the Jersey Militia). Those without a specific title would style themselves simply 'Esquire'. This is a term which formerly designated the son of a knight but came to indicate a certain standing in society.
AMY
ANLEY
BALLEINE
BANDINEL
BERTRAM
BERTRAM
Jurat Edward Leonard BISSON, Lieut-Bailiff
BOUDIER
Francois Guillaume COLLAS, of St Martin
John Gervoise Le Vesconte COLLAS
D'AUVERGNE
DE CARTERET - of Vinchelez de Bas
DE GRUCHY
Philip Chilwell DE LA GARDE
DE LA TASTE
Alexander Henry Augustus John DE ST GEORGE, Seigneur of Trinity
Francis Gautier DE STE CROIX
DU HEAUME
DUMARESQ
John DUMARESQ
DUMARESQ arms on wall of Trinity Church
DUMARESQ arms at St Clement's Church
George DUMARESQ
Edouard Charles Armand DUMARESQ
William John DUMARESQ
Arthur Charles Fitzroy DUMARESQ
The Rev John DURELL
DURELL
FALLE
The Rev Philip FILLEUL
Reynier John GABOUREL
Moses GIBAUT
Moses GIBAUT
James GODFRAY
Lerrier GODFRAY
James William GOSSELIN
Rear Admiral Henry GOSSET
The Rev Philip GUILLE, Rector of St Martin
HAMPTONNE arms at St Lawrence Church
Mrs Clement HEMERY
Frederick JANVRIN
The Rev Augustus James KNAPTON
John LA CLOCHE
Philip LANGLOIS
Joshua LE BAILLY, president of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce
Philip Hemery LE BRETON
Col John LE COUTEUR
Edward George LE COUTEUR
John LE CRONIER
The Rev Philip Alfred LE FEUVRE
Matthew LE GALLAIS
Philip LE GALLAIS
JOhn LE GALLAIS
Admiral George LE GEYT
Gervaise LE GROS
Lt-Col Charles Francis LE HARDY
The Rev William Brine LE MAISTRE
Francis John LE MONTAIS
The Rev William LEMPRIERE
The Rev Everard LEMPRIERE
Capt George Reid LEMPRIERE
Vice-Admiral George Oury LEMPRIERE
Capt Arthur Reid LEMPRIERE
Nicholas LE QUESNE
Richard Nicholas LE QUESNE
James LE QUESNE
Durell LERRIER
The Rev ABRAHAM LE SUEUR, Rector of Grouville
Philip Abraham LE SUEUR
Joshua John LE TOUZEL
LE VAVASSEUR DIT DURELL
Alexander Low
Francis Edward LUCE
Richard Henry MAJOR
Laurens Matthews MALET RN
John MALLET
Henry Luce MANUEL
Peter MARETT
George MAUGER
Charles Bertram MESSERVY
Thomas William MESSERVY
William Henry MILLAIS
George Henry MILLAIS
John MOURANT
Edward MOURANT
Elias NEEL
Elias Andrews NEEL
Frederick NICOLLE
Edward NICOLLE
George ORANGE
PAYN arms at Les Pres Manor
Francois Abbott PAYN
PAYN
Dean PAYN bookplate
PAYN and other arms on a house at Grouville
John PERCHARD
George Frebout PERROT
Charles PINEL
Thomas Ommanney PIPON
POINGDESTRE
James POINGDESTRE
George POINGDESTRE
Charles La Cloche RICARD
Clement Charles RICHARDSON
John ROBIN
Sir Henry Paul SEALE
John Alfred SEALE
Edward Wilmot SEALE
James Matthews SIMONET
SOHIER
SOREL
Richard VALPY
Francis VALPY
Charles VAUDIN
John VAUDIN
John Este VIBERT
