A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chavez family of Spain.
Reg. 6574 · Spanish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
What the shield shows
A gold background carrying five blue keys upright, in rows of two, one and two, their wards up and turned to the right as you look at it, inside a red border carrying eight small gold crosses.
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à cinq clés d'azur, en pals, 2, 1 et 2, les pannetons en haut et à sen.; à la bord. de gu., ch. de huit flanchis d'or.”
CastileCastile, c. 1722
Where the Chavez Arms Were Recorded
Castile
Map of Spain showing where the Chavez arms are recorded
The Chavez arms were recorded in Castile, c. 1722.
Castile was the heart of Spain and the source of most of its noble families. Land won in the long wars against the Moors was granted out to fighting men, and a man granted land was granted arms along with it.
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.
Philip V of Spain
Sovereign of the period
Philip V of Spain
1714–1724
Reigning in Spain when the Chavez arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Spain
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.
Granting authority
The Cronista Rey de Armas was the official body that regulated and granted coats of arms throughout Spain.
How they got arms
Families often obtained their arms through royal grants or by proving their noble status to the official heraldic authority.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the registers of the Cronista Rey de Armas starting in 1496.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Castile.
Origin & History of the Chavez Family in Spain
PronunciationCHAH-veth/ˈtʃaβeθ/
The surname Chavez is a Spanish name with deep roots in the Iberian Peninsula. It is a variant of the name Chaves, which originated in the province of Ourense and the surrounding regions of Galicia and Castile. The name is topographic, meaning it was originally used to describe someone who lived near a specific landmark. In this case, the name is derived from the Latin word "clavis," which refers to a key. Historically, this likely identified families who lived near a mountain pass or a fortified gateway that acted as a key to a specific territory.
By the early 18th century, the Chavez family was well-established within the social and administrative structures of Castile. During this period, members of the family were often involved in local governance, land management, and the military service that defined life in the Spanish interior. As the Spanish Empire expanded, the name traveled across the Atlantic. Many individuals carrying the name Chavez played significant roles in the settlement of the Americas, particularly in the regions that are now part of Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Their presence in 1722 Castile reflects a time when the family was deeply integrated into the regional history of Spain before many branches began their migration to the New World.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
clavis
Latin term meaning a key or a bolt used for locking.
This name
ChavezRefers to a person who lived near or worked as a keeper of a key or gate.
also spelled
Chavez
Shavez
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Faure, Roberto, María Asunción Ribes, and Antonio García. Diccionario de apellidos españoles. 2009
Moll, Francesc de Borja. Els llinatges catalans. 1959
Archivo General de Simancas. Registro General del Sello. 1722
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
