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)“De sa. au griffon d'arg.; au chef du même, ch. d'un croiss. de sa.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chaise family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De sa. au griffon d'arg.; au chef du même, ch. d'un croiss. de sa.”
The Chaise arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 surname Chaise finds its roots in the linguistic landscape of medieval France, where it originated as a descriptive name for a person who lived near a specific type of seat or a prominent chair-making workshop. By the mid-seventeenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the region of Normandie. Records from 1663 confirm that members of the family were active participants in the local society of this northern province during a time of significant agricultural and social development. As the family grew, they integrated into the rural and urban structures of the French countryside, likely working as artisans or landowners who contributed to the regional economy. Their presence in Normandie during this era reflects the broader patterns of family settlement that defined the social fabric of early modern France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à une église d'arg., le clocher à dextre; au chef d'or, ch. de trois étoiles d'arg.”
The Chaise arms were recorded in Piedmont, c. 1775.
Piedmont was Alpine and river country in north-western Italy, ruled from Turin. Its noble houses were listed formally by the state, and a name on that list carried arms as a matter of record.
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 the Italian states, coats of arms were often used by noble families to show their status and history. These symbols were passed down through the generations to all legitimate male descendants. Younger branches of a family usually kept the original design but sometimes added small changes to distinguish their specific line from the main branch.
The family name Chaise has deep roots in the Piedmont region of Italy, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1775. The name itself is closely linked to the French word for chair, which often served as a nickname for a person who held a position of authority or occupied a specific seat of status within a village or guild. During the late 18th century, Piedmont was a crossroads of cultural and linguistic exchange between Italy and France. Families like the Chaises often moved across these borders due to trade routes and the shifting political landscape of the Kingdom of Sardinia. By settling in the foothills of the Alps, the family became part of a unique regional identity that blended Italian traditions with the linguistic influences of their neighbors. Their presence in local parish and civil registers from this era suggests they were integrated into the agrarian and professional life of the region, contributing to the local economy long before the unification of Italy.
A Latin term referring to a seat, chair, or throne.

