Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
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'azur à cinq bes. d'or, 2, 1 et 2; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à un croiss. d'arg.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Godinez family of France.
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'azur à cinq bes. d'or, 2, 1 et 2; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à un croiss. d'arg.”

The Godinez arms were recorded in Picardie, c. 1663.
Picardie lay on the northern road into France and saw armies pass through it repeatedly. Its landowners were soldiers as often as farmers, and a soldier needed a shield he could be recognised by.
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.
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.
The surname Godinez carries a rich history that traces back to the northern regions of France, specifically the province of Picardie. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already well-established within this area. The name itself is considered a patronymic, which means it was formed by adding a suffix to a father's given name to signify descent. Over many generations, the spelling evolved as families moved across borders and interacted with different languages and local dialects. While the name is often associated with Spanish and Latin American heritage today, its presence in seventeenth-century France highlights the complex migration patterns of early European families. These ancestors were likely part of the agrarian or merchant classes who helped shape the local culture and economy of the Picardie region during the early modern period.
A Germanic element meaning Goth or related to the Goth people.
