A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ginter family of France.
Reg. 4688 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'arg. à une rose de gu.; aux 2 et 3 de gu. à un trèfle de sin., posé en bande. Sur le tout d'arg. à une rose de gu. C.: une rose de gu.; entre deux prob., d'or et de gu. L.: à dextre d'or et de gu., à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Ginter Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Ginter arms are recorded
The Ginter arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Ginter 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 Ginter Family in France
The family name Ginter carries a rich history that traces back to the vibrant cultural landscape of seventeenth-century France. Records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Bretagne by 1663, a time when the area was known for its distinct traditions and maritime influence. The name itself is often linked to roots in Germanic and Old French naming conventions, where it likely functioned as a descriptive term or a shortened form of longer, traditional given names. During this period, families in Bretagne were often deeply connected to the local parish systems, which served as the primary method for documenting births, marriages, and daily life. As these early ancestors navigated the social shifts of the 1600s, they helped establish a lineage that would eventually spread across borders. By settling in this coastal province, the Ginter family became part of a long-standing history of regional identity that helped shape the development of their name over the following centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gunt-hari
Derived from Germanic elements meaning war or battle and army.
This name
GinterA French variant of the Germanic name Gunther, signifying a warrior of the army.
also spelled
Ginter
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de Bretagne, 1663
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
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