Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à une herse de sa.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Arison family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à une herse de sa.”

The Arison arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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.
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 Arison has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Brittany was a distinct province with its own unique customs and language traditions. Families in this coastal area often derived their surnames from local geography, specific occupations, or personal nicknames that were common in the Breton tongue. Because the region maintained a strong sense of independence from the rest of France, the Arison name likely evolved through regional dialects before eventually spreading to other parts of Europe. By studying the parish registers from this period, historians can see how the family integrated into the rural society of western France, contributing to the local agricultural and maritime economy that defined life in Brittany during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Derived from the Germanic name Henry meaning home ruler.
