A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Anast family of France.
Reg. 3793 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à la croix engr. de sa., cant. de quatre étoiles du même.”
AnjouAnjou, c. 1663
Where the Anast Arms Were Recorded
Anjou
Map of France showing where the Anast arms are recorded
The Anast arms were recorded in Anjou, c. 1663.
Anjou was rich valley country along the Loire, with a dense scatter of small manors. Its gentry were numerous rather than wealthy, and even a modest holding was enough to justify a shield of one's own.
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.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Anast arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
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.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Anjou.
Origin & History of the Anast Family in France
The family name Anast traces its historical roots to the historic province of Anjou in western France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established residents within this region. The name likely evolved as a shortened version of the Greek-derived name Anastase, which means resurrection. During the seventeenth century, families in Anjou were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the social structures of the French countryside. As the family grew, some members eventually moved beyond the borders of Anjou to seek new opportunities in other parts of France and eventually across the Atlantic. This migration helped preserve the name as a distinct identifier of their ancestral origins in the Loire Valley.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Anastasius
Derived from the Greek word for resurrection or rising again.
This name
AnastA French surname originating from a saint's name signifying one who is resurrected.
also spelled
Anaste
Anastt
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de Maine-et-Loire, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
