A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Glez family of France.
Reg. 4491 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
axeThe execution of military duty
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 une clé d'arg., et une hache du même, emm. d'or, passées en saut.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1590
Where the Glez Arms Were Recorded
Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Glez arms are recorded
The Glez arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1590.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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.
Henry IV of France
Sovereign of the period
Henry IV of France
1589–1610
Reigning in France when the Glez 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Glez Family in France
The family name Glez has deep roots in the Lorraine region of France, where records confirm members of the family were established by the year 1590. During this period, Lorraine was a crossroads of European culture and politics, situated between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman Empire. Families in this area often lived through significant social changes as the region shifted between independent duchies and external influences. The name likely evolved from local linguistic traditions in the borderlands, where German and French influences blended together. By settling in this specific geographic area, the early Glez family became part of a long history of resilience and agricultural development that defined the rural communities of eastern France during the late sixteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Eglis
Derived from the Latin word ecclesia meaning a church or assembly.
This name
GlezA locative surname originally denoting someone who lived near or worked at a church.
also spelled
Glesse
Gleese
Glesee
Glez
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Série B: Cours et juridictions (Ancien Régime)
Cabourdin, Guy, La vie quotidienne en Lorraine au XVIIe siècle, 1984
Martin, Jean-François, Histoire de la Lorraine, 2005
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
axeThe execution of military duty
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
axeThe execution of military duty
