A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the de Chaine family of Belgium.
Reg. 1758 · Belgian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De sa. à une herse de labour triangulaire d'or. C.: la herse.”
Belgiumc. 1737
Where the de Chaine Arms Were Recorded
Brabant
Map of Belgium showing where the de Chaine arms are recorded
The de Chaine arms were recorded in Belgium, c. 1737.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Brabant.
Brabant lay at the heart of the Low Countries, where the trade routes met. Its towns were wealthy and its landowners many, and both kinds of family kept arms, which is why the region is so heavily represented.
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 Belgium in this period.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Belgium when the de Chaine arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Belgium
In Belgium, a coat of arms is considered personal property that is passed down through the male line to legitimate descendants. Families often use the same shield design across generations to show their shared heritage. If a branch of the family wants to change the design, they must apply for an official update to their specific version of the arms.
Granting authority
The Conseil héraldique is the official body that regulates and approves all coats of arms in Belgium.
How they got arms
Families obtain their coats of arms through formal royal grants or by confirming their historical right to use existing designs.
Where arms were recorded
All approved coats of arms are officially recorded in the public registers of the Conseil héraldique since 1844.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Belgium.
Origin & History of the de Chaine Family in Belgium
The family name de Chaine finds its historical roots in the region of Brabant, a territory that historically spanned parts of modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands. By the year 1737, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this area, living during a time when the region was under the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs. The name itself likely evolved from local geographic or occupational descriptions common to the French and Dutch-speaking populations of the Low Countries. During this period, families in Brabant often lived in close-knit agricultural or trading communities, and the de Chaine name would have been used to distinguish them within these local parish and civil registries. As the family moved through the eighteenth century, they participated in the social and economic life of a region known for its complex history of shifting borders and vibrant urban centers.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
catena
Latin term for a chain or a series of connected links.
This name
de ChaineRefers to a person who lived near a chain or worked as a chain maker.
also spelled
Chaine
de Shen
Chain
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
State Archives in Belgium (Rijksarchief in België), Parochieregisters van Brabant
City Archives of Leuven (Stadsarchief Leuven), Bevolkingsregisters en burgerlijke stand
Pirenne, Henri, Histoire de Belgique, 1900
Warlop, Ernest, The Flemish Nobility before 1300, 1975
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
