A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Guile family of France.
Reg. 8053 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
parrotEloquence, and travel in distant lands
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“un homme d'arg., supp. de sa main dextre un perroquet de sin. et tenant de sa sen. une masse d'armes d'or.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1609
Where the Guile Arms Were Recorded
Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Guile arms are recorded
The Guile arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1609.
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 Guile 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 Guile Family in France
The surname Guile traces its roots back to the historic region of Lorraine, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1609. During this period, Lorraine served as a cultural crossroads between French and Germanic influences, shaping the linguistic development of local names. The name likely evolved from early regional dialects, potentially linked to personal names or descriptive terms used to identify individuals within their small village communities. As the family lived through the turbulent decades of the seventeenth century, they were part of a society deeply connected to the land and local parish life. These early ancestors were likely farmers or tradespeople who helped build the foundations of the community, passing their name down through generations as they navigated the complex political shifts of the Holy Roman Empire and the expanding French kingdom.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wigilo
A Germanic personal name derived from the word for war or battle.
This name
GuileA surname originating from a nickname for a deceitful or cunning person.
also spelled
Guil
Guiles
Guilee
Geel
Related arms
Guilvariant spelling
Guillevariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Cabourdin, Guy. Histoire de la Lorraine. 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
knightChivalry and service in arms
parrotEloquence, and travel in distant lands
knightChivalry and service in arms
parrotEloquence, and travel in distant lands
