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 gu. à une clé d'arg., posée en pal.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Clemons family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à une clé d'arg., posée en pal.”

The Clemons arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1663.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his 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.
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 Clemons originates from the Latin name Clemens, which means mild, gentle, or merciful. By the mid-seventeenth century, the family was well-established in the Lorraine region of France. In 1663, records confirm that members of the family were living in this area, which served as a cultural crossroads between French and Germanic influences. During this period, the region faced significant political instability due to frequent border conflicts and shifting territorial control. Families living in Lorraine often had to adapt to these changing conditions while maintaining their local traditions and agricultural livelihoods. The presence of the family in this specific province suggests they were part of the resilient population that navigated the complex social landscape of seventeenth-century Europe.
Latin term meaning merciful, gentle, or mild in temperament.
