A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Guiton family of France.
Reg. 2348 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chess rookStrategy, and the defence of a position
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 rocs d'échiquier d'arg. D.: DIEX AYE.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Guiton Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Guiton arms are recorded
The Guiton arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 Guiton 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Guiton Family in France
The family name Guiton has deep roots in the historical region of Normandy, France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already well established within this coastal area. The name itself is thought to be a variation of the ancient Germanic name Wido, which eventually evolved into the French name Guy. Over many generations, the suffix "ton" was added to create a distinct family identifier. During the seventeenth century, families in Normandy often lived in small agricultural communities or bustling port towns where they contributed to the local economy through farming and trade. Because Normandy was a central hub for travel and migration at that time, the Guiton name became a lasting part of the region's cultural landscape. These early ancestors helped shape the local traditions and social structures that defined life in northern France during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Guy
Derived from the Germanic element wido meaning wood or wide.
This name
GuitonA diminutive form indicating a descendant or follower of Guy.
also spelled
Geeton
Related arms
Guytonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Albert Dauzat, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Marie-Thérèse Morlet, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
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chess rookStrategy, and the defence of a position
chess rookStrategy, and the defence of a position
