A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gagnon family of France.
Reg. 5894 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
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 à une colombe d'or, tenant en son bec un rameau d'olivier de sin. et soutenue d'un croiss. d'arg.”
FranceFranche-Comté An, c. 1576
Where the Gagnon Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Gagnon arms are recorded
The Gagnon arms were recorded in Franche-Comté An, c. 1576.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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.
Henry III of France
Sovereign of the period
Henry III of France
1574–1589
Reigning in France when the Gagnon 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 France.
Origin & History of the Gagnon Family in France
The Gagnon family name has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1576. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Old French word gagneur, which translates to a tiller of the soil or a farmer. This suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely hard-working people who made their living from the land. During the seventeenth century, the family expanded their influence beyond their original home. A significant turning point occurred when Mathurin Gagnon, a pioneer from the Perche region, traveled to New France in the 1630s. His journey helped establish the name in North America, where it became a prominent part of the colonial population. Throughout these early centuries, the family remained closely tied to agricultural life and the development of new settlements.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
gagne
Old French term meaning to till, cultivate, or harvest land.
This name
GagnonA topographical or occupational surname referring to a farmer or someone who cultivated land.
also spelled
Gagnonne
Gagnond
Gagnont
Ganyon
Related arms
Faivre du Bouvotsimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Jetté, René, Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec, 1983
Archives nationales du Québec, Registres de l'état civil du Québec, 1621-1799
Trudel, Marcel, Histoire de la Nouvelle-France, 1963
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
