A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Genet family of France.
Reg. 3908 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
Colours
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)
“De gu. au saut. d'arg.”
MaineMaine, c. 1663
Where the Genet Arms Were Recorded
Maine
Map of France showing where the Genet arms are recorded
The Genet arms were recorded in Maine, c. 1663.
Maine was quiet farming country in western France, held in small manors by families who stayed for generations. Nothing about it was grand, but steady landholding is exactly what puts a name in the registers.
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 Genet 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 Maine.
Origin & History of the Genet Family in France
The surname Genet is of French origin and is traditionally linked to the Old French word "genet," which refers to a type of broom plant or a small horse. Families bearing this name were well-established in various regions of France long before the seventeenth century. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Genet family were present in the province of Maine, a historical region located in the northwestern part of the country. During this era, families in Maine were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the social structures of the rural landscape. As the family expanded, their presence in this region became a foundational part of their history, marking a period of stability and growth before many descendants eventually migrated to other parts of the world.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Genista
A genus of flowering plants in the broom family.
This name
GenetA topographic name for someone who lived near a patch of broom shrubs.
also spelled
Genet-de
Genette
Genett
Jenay
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
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saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
