A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Garet family of France.
Reg. 3901 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fishA true and generous mind, and Christian faith
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 la bande d'or, ch. d'un poisson de gu., posé dans le sens de la bande, et acc. en chef d'une aigle d'arg. et en p. de trois bandes du même.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Garet Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Garet arms are recorded
The Garet arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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.
Louis XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Garet 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 Garet Family in France
The family name Garet finds its historical roots in the rugged and culturally distinct region of Bretagne, France. By the year 1725, records confirm that members of the Garet family were firmly established within this coastal province. During this period, the name was likely associated with the local agricultural or maritime traditions that defined life in western France. Families in Bretagne often lived in close-knit rural communities where surnames were passed down through generations of farmers, craftsmen, or sailors. As the family grew, they became part of the unique social fabric of the region, which maintained its own language and customs separate from the rest of the French kingdom. The presence of the Garet name in 18th-century parish registers suggests a stable life rooted in the local traditions of the Breton countryside, where families were deeply connected to the land and their parish churches.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Guerin
Derived from the Germanic elements for spear and friend or protector.
This name
GaretA diminutive form of names starting with the Germanic root for spear.
also spelled
Garet
Garrett
Garrat
Garratt
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1725
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux, 1725
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
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