A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Garde family of France.
Reg. 8981 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
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 tour crén. de quatre pièces d'or, maçonnée et aj. de sa., sommée de trois flammes de gu., mouv. d'entre les créneaux.”
PonthieuPonthieu, c. 1663
Where the Garde Arms Were Recorded
Ponthieu
Map of France showing where the Garde arms are recorded
The Garde arms were recorded in Ponthieu, c. 1663.
Ponthieu was small coastal country in northern France, on the road armies took between the Channel and Paris. Its families held land in return for service, and men who served carried shields.
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 Garde 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 Ponthieu.
Origin & History of the Garde Family in France
The surname Garde carries a history deeply rooted in the rural landscapes of northern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that families bearing this name were well established in the region of Ponthieu. During this period, the name functioned as a descriptive term for individuals who lived near or worked upon protected lands, as the word itself relates to the concept of guarding or watching over an area. Families in Ponthieu during the seventeenth century were often tied to the local agricultural economy, where the name likely identified someone who held a position of responsibility over fields, forests, or livestock. Over time, these early members of the Garde family became a consistent part of the local community, helping to shape the social and economic life of the province through their daily labor and presence in the parish records of the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
warda
A Germanic term meaning to guard, watch, or protect.
This name
GardeAn occupational name for a watchman, guard, or someone who tended a specific area.
also spelled
Gard
Gardes
Gart
Related arms
Gardvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Somme, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux de Ponthieu
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms 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.
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
