A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Guinan family of France.
Reg. 5242 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
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)
“D'arg. au lion de sin., arm. et lamp. de gu.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Guinan Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Guinan arms are recorded
The Guinan arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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.
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 Guinan 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Guinan Family in France
The family name Guinan carries a history deeply rooted in the coastal regions of western France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the province of Bretagne. This region was a bustling maritime hub where families often relied on trade, fishing, and agriculture to sustain their livelihoods. During the seventeenth century, the people of Bretagne maintained a distinct cultural identity that set them apart from the rest of the kingdom. Families like the Guinans lived through a time of significant social change as the French monarchy sought to centralize its power over the provinces. Because the name appears in local administrative documents from this era, it is clear that the family was an active part of the community life in their parishes. They likely contributed to the local economy and participated in the traditions that defined the unique Breton way of life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Guin
Derived from the Old French word for a deceiver or trickster.
This name
GuinanA surname historically used as a nickname for a cunning or crafty individual.
also spelled
Guinan
Ginan
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
