A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gault family of France.
Reg. 6140 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
falconOne eager and quick in pursuit
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 un épervier d'arg., bq., m. et grilleté d'or, perché sur un chicot du sec.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Gault Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Gault arms are recorded
The Gault arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Gault 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Gault Family in France
The family name Gault has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where members were firmly established by the year 1663. The name is believed to originate from the Old French word "gaut," which referred to a wooded area or a forest. This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near or worked within the dense woodlands that covered much of the French countryside during the Middle Ages. As people began to adopt permanent surnames to distinguish themselves in growing communities, families often took names based on their local geography or the natural features surrounding their homes. By the mid-seventeenth century, the Gault family was part of the social fabric of the Bretagne province, contributing to the local culture and economy of the region before some members eventually traveled to other parts of the world.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wald
A Germanic term meaning forest or ruler of the woods.
This name
GaultDerived from a nickname for someone living near a forest or a forest dweller.
also spelled
Gaulte
Gaultt
Gol
Related arms
Galtvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
falconOne eager and quick in pursuit
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
falconOne eager and quick in pursuit
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
