Map of England showing where the Gingras arms are recorded
The Gingras arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Gingras arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Gingras Family in England
The family name Gingras originates from the French region of Poitou, where it was historically linked to the cultivation of land and the management of rural estates. By the early seventeenth century, members of the family had established a presence in the historic city of York, England, likely as part of the movement of skilled laborers and merchants across the English Channel. These early settlers were part of a period of significant social transition, as families often moved between France and England to pursue new economic opportunities or to escape regional instability. Over time, the name became firmly rooted in these communities, reflecting a history of migration and adaptation that defined the lives of many families during the early modern era. The name itself is thought to be derived from local geographical features, serving as a marker of the family's deep connection to the landscapes they inhabited before and after their arrival in England.
Gingras Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Gingras
Derived from the Old French word for a type of sedge grass.
This name
GingrasA topographic name for someone who lived near a patch of sedge grass.
also spelled
Gingre
Gingir
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France. 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York. York Diocesan Probate Records
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
