A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Forge family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 0778 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur au chev., acc. en chef de deux écussons couchés et en p. d'un trèfle, le tout d'or.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Forge Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Forge arms are recorded
The Forge 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.
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 Forge 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Forge Family in France
The family name Forge finds its roots in the practical trades of medieval France, where it served as an occupational descriptor for those who worked with metal. By the time the name appears in the historical record of Normandy in 1663, it was already well-established within the local social fabric. During this period, families in the Normandy region were often deeply connected to the land and the specific crafts that supported village life. The name likely identified ancestors who operated a forge or worked as blacksmiths, which were essential roles in a society dependent on iron tools for farming and construction. As these families settled into the rural landscape of northern France, the name became a permanent marker of their professional identity and their contribution to the local economy. This connection to the forge highlights a history defined by manual skill and the steady development of trade in a changing French society.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 gu. à la fasce vivrée d'or, acc. de trois croiss. du même.”
BrabantBrabant, c. 1737
Where the Forge Arms Were Recorded
Brabant
Map of Belgium showing where the Forge arms are recorded
The Forge arms were recorded in Brabant, c. 1737.
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 France when the Forge 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 Brabant.
Origin & History of the Forge Family in Belgium
The family name Forge carries a deep connection to the industrial and social landscape of the historic Duchy of Brabant. By the year 1737, records confirm that members of the family were already established within this region, which was then part of the Southern Netherlands under Austrian rule. During this era, the name likely served as an occupational descriptor, linking the family to the vital metalworking trades that powered the local economy. As skilled craftsmen or laborers, these early ancestors would have been central to the production of iron tools and equipment necessary for the agricultural and burgeoning manufacturing sectors of the time. Living in Brabant meant existing at the crossroads of European trade, where the family name became woven into the fabric of local parish life and community development. This early presence suggests a family that was deeply rooted in the practical, hardworking traditions of the region, contributing to the steady growth of the local population throughout the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fabrica
Latin term for a workshop or a place of manufacture.
This name
ForgeAn occupational surname for a blacksmith or someone who worked in a forge.
also spelled
Forgge
Forje
Forg
Forzh
Related arms
Neyretsame arms
Aumaistre des Ferneauxsimilar arms
Bertollisimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
