A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ghent family of France.
Reg. 7565 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“De sa. à deux fasces d'or. C.: deux navets d'arg., feuillés de sin., les queues en haut.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Ghent Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Ghent arms are recorded
The Ghent 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 Ghent 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 Ghent Family in France
The family name Ghent is deeply connected to the historical movement of people across Western Europe. While the name is often associated with the famous Belgian city, records confirm that family members were established in the region of Bretagne, France, by 1725. During the eighteenth century, families in this coastal area often lived in close-knit agricultural or maritime communities. The name likely served as a way to identify individuals who had ancestral ties to the Flemish region before migrating south. Over several generations, these families integrated into the local culture of Bretagne while maintaining the name as a link to their geographic origins. This pattern of movement was common during this era as people sought new opportunities in trade and farming across different French provinces.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gand
A Germanic word referring to a river confluence or sandy area.
This name
GhentA locational surname derived from the city of Ghent, signifying someone from that region.
also spelled
Yedeghem van Ghent
Yedegem
Yedeghem
Ghent
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Série B (Archives de la justice seigneuriale)
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Série E (Familles et notaires)
Delumeau, Jean, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1969
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
