A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hache family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 9455 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“d'arg., la banderole ch. d'une croisette d'or. C.: l'aigle, iss.)”
Francec. 1663
Where the Hache Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Hache arms are recorded
The Hache 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.
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 Hache 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 France.
Origin & History of the Hache Family in France
The surname Hache finds its roots in the medieval French language, where it functioned as a descriptive occupational name derived from the word for an axe. In the context of early French society, this name likely identified a person who worked as a woodcutter, a carpenter, or a skilled soldier who used such a tool in his daily labor. By the middle of the seventeenth century, the family established a documented presence in the rugged and historically distinct region of Bretagne. Records from 1663 confirm that members of the Hache family were living in this coastal province, where they were integrated into the local social and economic fabric of the era. During this time, the family would have navigated the complex cultural landscape of Brittany, a region known for its strong traditions and unique linguistic heritage. Their presence in the area reflects the broader movement of families across the French countryside as they sought stability and community in the years before the French Revolution.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Gu. two demi lions pass. guard. in pale or”
DevonHache · Devon, c. 1620
Where the Hache Arms Were Recorded
Devon
Map of England showing where the Hache arms are recorded
The Hache arms were recorded in Devon, c. 1620.
Devon was a county of small manors and seafaring families. Its gentry were spread thickly across the countryside, and money made at sea often bought an estate, which in turn brought a coat of arms.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in France when the Hache arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Devon.
Origin & History of the Hache Family in England
The Hache family name has deep roots in the rural landscape of Devon, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1620. The name itself is likely derived from the Old French word "hache," which refers to an axe or a wood-cutting tool. In medieval England, such names were often occupational, suggesting that the earliest ancestors to carry the name may have been woodcutters or foresters who worked in the dense woodlands of the West Country. By the early seventeenth century, the family had transitioned from these specialized roles into the local community life of Devon, where they lived as landholders and farmers. Their presence in the region during this era places them among the families who helped shape the agricultural and social identity of the English countryside before the great migrations to the American colonies began.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
hache
A tool used for chopping wood or as a weapon.
This name
HacheAn occupational name for a woodcutter or a maker of axes.
also spelled
Hachee
Hash
Hatch
Related arms
Hacchevariant spelling
Hatchvariant spelling
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
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lionCourage, strength and royalty
