A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the des Forges family of France.
Reg. 7210 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à un coeur enflammé de gu.; au chef d'azur, ch. de trois étoiles du champ.”
ForezForez, c. 1663
Where the des Forges Arms Were Recorded
Forez
Map of France showing where the des Forges arms are recorded
The des Forges arms were recorded in Forez, c. 1663.
Forez was a small upland county in central France, thick with minor gentry holding modest estates. Its families were more numerous than wealthy, and even a small holding was enough for a shield of one's 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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the des Forges arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
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.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Forez.
Origin & History of the des Forges Family in France
The family name des Forges originates from the French word for ironworks, suggesting that the earliest ancestors were likely skilled metalworkers or blacksmiths who operated forges. By the year 1663, historical records confirm that the family was well established in the Forez region of central France. During this period, families often took surnames based on their trade or the specific location where they lived and worked. Because iron production was a vital industry in the mountainous landscape of Forez, the name became a proud identifier for those who mastered the craft of shaping metal. Over time, the family transitioned from being known by their professional labor to carrying the name as a formal hereditary title that linked them to the industrial heritage of their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fabrica
Latin term for a workshop or a place where things are made.
This name
des ForgesRefers to someone who lived near or worked at a blacksmith's forge.
also spelled
Deforge
des Forj
Desforge
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dufour, Jean-Étienne, Dictionnaire topographique du département de la Loire, 1946
Archives départementales de la Loire, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux de la province du Forez
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
