A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Abellan family of Spain.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commanderJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Parti: au 1 d'or à trois bandes”
The Abellan arms were recorded in Aragon, c. 1722.
Aragon was mountain and river country in north-eastern Spain, with a strong tradition of small independent landholders. A great many families counted as gentry there, and each one needed a shield to be told apart.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Spain in this period.
Reigning in Spain when the Abellan arms are first recorded.
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
The family name Abellan has deep roots in the northeastern region of Spain known as Aragon. By the early eighteenth century, historical records confirm that members of the Abellan family were established residents within this territory. The name itself is thought to be a variation of the word abellano, which is the Aragonese term for a hazelnut tree. During this period, many families in rural Spain adopted surnames based on local geography, plants, or specific landmarks near their homes. Because the hazel tree was common in the mountainous landscapes of Aragon, it is likely that the first people to carry this name lived near a grove or a prominent tree of this type. Over generations, the name became a permanent identifier for these families as they participated in the agricultural and social life of their local communities.
Derived from the Latin term for a person from the town Abella.
