A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Goffin family of Belgium.
Reg. 4127 · Belgian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
Colours
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)
“D'arg. à trois grappes de raisins au nat., pamprées de sin., in tige en haut. C.: une grappe de raisins de l'écu.”
HainautHainaut, c. 1737
Where the Goffin Arms Were Recorded
Hainaut
Map of Belgium showing where the Goffin arms are recorded
The Goffin arms were recorded in Hainaut, c. 1737.
Hainaut sat on the border between France and the Low Countries and was fought over for centuries. Families there held their land under arms and expected to defend it, so a shield was a working thing.
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 Belgium in this period.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Belgium when the Goffin arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Belgium
In Belgium, a coat of arms is considered personal property that is passed down through the male line to legitimate descendants. Families often use the same shield design across generations to show their shared heritage. If a branch of the family wants to change the design, they must apply for an official update to their specific version of the arms.
Granting authority
The Conseil héraldique is the official body that regulates and approves all coats of arms in Belgium.
How they got arms
Families obtain their coats of arms through formal royal grants or by confirming their historical right to use existing designs.
Where arms were recorded
All approved coats of arms are officially recorded in the public registers of the Conseil héraldique since 1844.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Hainaut.
Origin & History of the Goffin Family in Belgium
The surname Goffin has deep roots in the historical region of Hainaut, which spans parts of modern-day Belgium and France. By the year 1737, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established within the local communities of this area. The name itself is considered a diminutive form of the name Godfrey, which was a popular choice in medieval Europe. Over many generations, the name evolved as people adapted it to fit the local dialects of the region. Families with this name were often involved in the agricultural and trade activities that defined life in the Hainaut countryside during the eighteenth century. Because the name was linked to a common given name, it emerged independently in different villages, reflecting the way surnames were formed as populations grew and needed more specific ways to identify one another.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Godfried
Derived from Germanic elements meaning god and peace or protection.
This name
GoffinA diminutive form of the name Godfrey, historically used as a patronymic surname.
also spelled
Gofin
Goffyn
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Herbillon, Jules and Germain, Jean. Dictionnaire des noms de famille en Belgique romane et dans les régions limitrophes, 1996
Archives de l'État à Mons, Registres paroissiaux de la province de Hainaut
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
