A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ger family of France.
Reg. 1619 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
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. à trois fasces d'arg.”
GuyenneGuyenne, c. 1663
Where the Ger Arms Were Recorded
Guyenne
Map of France showing where the Ger arms are recorded
The Ger arms were recorded in Guyenne, c. 1663.
Guyenne was the great wine country of south-western France, shipping claret to England for centuries. The trade made merchant families rich, they bought vineyards and estates with the money, and land of that kind brought arms with it.
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 Ger 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 Guyenne.
Origin & History of the Ger Family in France
The family name Ger has deep roots in the historical province of Guyenne, a region in southwestern France that was once a major center of trade and agriculture. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established in this area, living through a period of significant social and political transition under the French monarchy. The name itself likely originated as a topographic surname, which was a common practice at the time to identify families based on the specific landscape or landmarks near their homes. In the local Gascon dialect, the term often related to geographical features of the terrain, suggesting that the earliest ancestors were deeply connected to the rural life and land management of the Guyenne countryside. As these families grew, they became part of the local fabric of the region, contributing to the agricultural and social development of their communities long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ger
Derived from the Germanic element ger meaning spear.
This name
GerA habitational name referring to individuals from the commune of Ger in Normandy.
also spelled
Guerres
Ger
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Gironde, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Boudet, Marcellin, Études sur les noms de famille en Guyenne, 1894
Dauzat, Albert, Les noms de famille de France, 1945
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
