Map of Belgium showing where the Forger arms are recorded
The Forger arms were recorded in Liege, c. 1872.
Liege was a prosperous town and its surrounding country, living on metalworking and trade. Merchant families grew rich, bought land outside the walls, and took arms as landowners rather than tradesmen.
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.
Leopold II of Belgium
Sovereign of the period
Leopold II of Belgium
1865–1909
Reigning in Belgium when the Forger 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 Liege.
Origin & History of the Forger Family in Belgium
The name Forger is deeply rooted in the industrial landscape of the Meuse River valley, with documented evidence placing the family in the city of Liège by 1872. During the late nineteenth century, Liège was a global hub for coal mining, steel production, and metalworking. The name itself likely originated as an occupational descriptor, linking the family to the skilled labor found in the region's numerous ironworks and smithies. As the Industrial Revolution transformed the Belgian economy, families like the Forgers became essential to the urban growth of Liège. They were part of a hardworking class that helped turn the city into a powerhouse of European manufacturing. By settling in this region, the family became a small but significant part of the history of Belgian industry during a time of rapid technological change.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
faber
Latin term for a craftsman, smith, or maker.
This name
ForgerAn occupational surname for a blacksmith or metalworker.
also spelled
Forgeure
Forguer
Forgeux
Forzher
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives de l'État à Liège, État civil de la ville de Liège
Archives de l'État à Liège, Recensement de la population de la ville de Liège
Kurgan-van Hentenryk, Ginette, L'économie belge au XIXe siècle, 1996
Stiennon, Jacques, Histoire de Liège, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
