A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hainault family of France.
Reg. 5925 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or au lion de sa., arm. et lamp. de gu. Cq. cour. C.: un chapeau pyramidal fascé contre-fascé de gu. et d'arg., sommé de plumes de coq de sa. Cri: HAYNAULT AU NOBLE COMTE!”
FranceAnciens, c. 1725
Where the Hainault Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Hainault arms are recorded
The Hainault arms were recorded in Anciens, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Hainault 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 Hainault Family in France
The surname Hainault is deeply rooted in the history of northern France and the Low Countries, originally serving as a locative name for individuals who hailed from the historic County of Hainaut. This region, which straddles the modern border between France and Belgium, was a powerful medieval territory known for its strategic importance and rich agricultural lands. By the early 18th century, members of the family had established a documented presence in the province of Bretagne. This migration likely occurred as families moved across French provinces to seek new economic opportunities or to serve in administrative roles during the reign of King Louis XV. The name reflects a connection to a specific landscape and a heritage of movement across the French kingdom, marking the family as part of the broader demographic shifts that defined the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hainaut
A geographical region derived from the Haine river and Germanic suffix.
This name
HainaultRefers to a person originating from the Hainaut province in northern France and Belgium.
also spelled
Hainault
Haino
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, 1725
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
