The Arms used by the City of Wakefield have been for at least five centuries "Azure, a fleur-de-lys or" (a golden lily on a blue shield).  

These arms appear on a carved wooden boss on the Cathedral roof, which may be dated not later than 1470. Single fleur-de-lys appear on the frieze of the choir screen (1635) and also on the badge of the Wakefield Waits (1688).

The Manor of Wakefield was bestowed by Edward III on his fifth son, Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, in 1347, who bore the Royal Arms of France and England. These arms thus became on all public documents the arms of Wakefield, superseding the "Checky or and azure" shield of the Warenne family, the former Lords of the Manor. It would seem that a kind of abridgment of these arms subsequently ensued, one golden fleur-de-lys only on an azure shield being adopted.  

These arms were never registered with the College of Heralds and were used without authority until in 1932 the City Council decided to apply for a formal grant of arms. This was obtained on the 3rd March, 1932, when the former device was slightly varied by the addition of an ermine fimbriation to the fleur-de-lys, the description now being "Azure, a fleur-de-lys or fimbriated ermine."  

This was used by the Metropolitan District Council which was created in 1974 until it decided to apply for its own coat of arms in 1990.