A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gogan family of France.
Reg. 3573 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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'azur à trois chev. d'or, acc. de trois geais d'arg.”
PoitouPoitou, c. 1663
Where the Gogan Arms Were Recorded
Poitou
Map of France showing where the Gogan arms are recorded
The Gogan arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify a shield.
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 Gogan 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 Poitou.
Origin & History of the Gogan Family in France
The Gogan family name finds its historical roots in the Poitou region of western France, where members of the lineage were firmly established by the year 1663. During the seventeenth century, Poitou was a vibrant area characterized by its agricultural traditions and its role as a gateway to the Atlantic coast. Families living in this province often experienced the social shifts of the era, including the movement of people toward the burgeoning colonies in North America. The name likely evolved from local linguistic patterns common to the French countryside, serving as a distinct identifier for a family integrated into the rural life and community structures of the Poitou landscape. By the mid-1600s, the Gogan name was already part of the regional fabric, marking the start of a history that would eventually span across the ocean.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gauguin
Derived from the Germanic personal name Gogo meaning to go or walk.
This name
GoganA locative or patronymic surname originating from the Old French region of Normandy.
also spelled
Gaugain
Gaugainge
Gogan
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Arsenault, Bona. Histoire et généalogie des Acadiens, 1978
Archives nationales d'outre-mer. Recensement de la Nouvelle-France, 1666
White, Stephen A. Dictionnaire généalogique des familles acadiennes, 1999
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
