A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gan family of Russia.
Reg. 1838 · Russian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Taillé d'azur sur gu.; à une barre de sin., br. sur le taillé et ch. d'un caducée d'or, posé dans le sens de la barre; l'azur ch. d'une couronne impériale de Russie, au nat., mouv. de la barre; le gu. ch. d'un coq hardi et cont. de sa., posé sur une terrasse de sin. C.: trois pl. d'aut. d'arg. L.: à dextre de sin. et d'azur, à sen. de gu. et d'azur.”
Russiac. 1784
Where the Gan Arms Were Recorded
Moscow
Map of Russia showing where the Gan arms are recorded
The Gan arms were recorded in Russia, c. 1784.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Moscow.
Moscow held the Russian court, and rank there came from service rather than land. Families who served the Tsar were entered in the registers of nobility, and that entry is where their arms are recorded.
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 Russia in this period.
Catherine II of Russia
Sovereign of the period
Catherine II of Russia
1762–1796
Reigning in Russia when the Gan arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Russia
Russian heraldry was strictly tied to the nobility and the state service system. Families proved their ancient status or earned new rank to receive an official grant from the Tsar. These symbols were then inherited by all legitimate children of the noble line. If a family lacked proof of their status, they were often excluded from the official records entirely.
Granting authority
The Herald Master's Office acted as the central state body that strictly regulated and verified all noble heraldic symbols.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal state grant or by proving their noble status to the government authorities.
Where arms were recorded
All approved coats of arms were officially recorded in the General Armorial of the Noble Families of the Russian Empire starting in 1797.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Russia.
Origin & History of the Gan Family in Russia
The family name Gan has a long and storied history that stretches across centuries and borders. While the name is often associated with the Russian nobility, its roots are deeply connected to the movement of people across the European continent. By 1784, records confirm that members of the Gan family were well-established in Moscow, where they participated in the social and administrative life of the city. During this era, the family became integrated into the Russian service class, often holding positions that allowed them to influence local governance and cultural development. Their presence in Moscow during the late 18th century suggests that they were part of a broader network of families who moved between different regions to seek new opportunities in trade and government service. Over time, the family name became a symbol of this historical transition, marking their evolution from their earlier origins into a prominent fixture of Russian society.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gans
A Germanic term referring to a goose.
This name
GanA surname often used as a nickname for someone with goose-like characteristics.
also spelled
Ganne
Ganneh
Gan
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Petrov, P. N., Istoriya rodov russkogo dvoryanstva (History of the Families of the Russian Nobility), 1886
Russian State Historical Archive (Rossiyskiy gosudarstvennyy istoricheskiy arkhiv), Fond 1343, Opis 17 (Records of the Department of Heraldry of the Governing Senate)
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mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
