A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Agès family of France.
swordJustice, and military honourJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à une dague d'arg.”
The Agès arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own 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 France in this period.
Reigning in France when the Agès arms are first recorded.
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
The family name Agès is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Brittany, a region in northwestern France known for its distinct cultural identity. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established within this province, living among communities that relied heavily on agriculture and maritime trade. During the seventeenth century, Brittany functioned as a semi-autonomous duchy with its own legal customs and social structures, which likely influenced the daily lives and movements of the Agès family. The name itself is thought to be linked to regional linguistic traditions, possibly evolving from local naming patterns that were common in the rural parishes of the time. As the family settled into the Breton countryside, they became part of a long lineage of individuals who helped shape the social fabric of the region through their work and local community involvement.
Ancient Greek term meaning chaste, pure, or holy.
