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)“D'arg. à trois pelles démanchées de gu. C.: une pelle de gu.; entre un vol, d'arg. et de gu.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grine family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à trois pelles démanchées de gu. C.: une pelle de gu.; entre un vol, d'arg. et de gu.”
The Grine 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.
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 family name Grine traces its roots to the rugged landscapes of Bretagne, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1663. During this era, the region was a distinct province with its own unique cultural identity and strong ties to the sea. Families in this part of France often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they worked the land or engaged in maritime trades. The name likely evolved from local linguistic patterns common to the Breton dialect or regional French variations of the time. As the family put down roots in this coastal environment, they became part of the long history of a region known for its independence and resilience. By maintaining a presence in Bretagne during the seventeenth century, the early members of the Grine family helped shape the local heritage that defined their community for generations.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à trois têtes de lion d'or, lamp. de gu. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1° un lion iss. et cont. d'or, cour. du même; 2° un lévrier iss. d'arg., coll. d'azur, bouclé d'arg. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'or et d'azur.”
The Grine arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1768.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in the registers.
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 the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
The family name Grine traces its roots to the southern regions of Germany, where historical records confirm the presence of family members in Bavaria by 1768. During this era, the name likely emerged as a descriptive identifier or a localized surname within the rural communities of the Holy Roman Empire. Life in eighteenth-century Bavaria was defined by agrarian traditions and the influence of the Catholic Church, which maintained detailed parish registers to track births, marriages, and deaths. Families with this name were part of a society transitioning through the late Enlightenment, living in a landscape of small villages and market towns. Because surnames were often tied to specific occupations or geographic features in the local dialect, the name Grine reflects the linguistic evolution of the Bavarian region during a time of significant social and political change.
A granary or a place where grain is stored.

