A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hargest family of Wales.
Reg. 2575 · Welsh, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Or, a griffin ramp. az”
Walesc. 1647
Where the Hargest Arms Were Recorded
Denbigh
Map of Wales showing where the Hargest arms are recorded
The Hargest arms were recorded in Wales, c. 1647.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Denbigh.
Denbighshire was north Welsh country of hills and small estates. Land was held by a great many families rather than a few, and each holding brought its own claim to 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 Wales in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in Wales when the Hargest arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Wales
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 Wales.
Origin & History of the Hargest Family in Wales
The surname Hargest is historically rooted in the Welsh Marches, a region defined by the shifting border between England and Wales. The name is locative in origin, meaning it was likely taken from the small settlement of Hargest located in the county of Herefordshire. By the mid-seventeenth century, members of the family had established a notable presence in the town of Denbigh in North Wales. Records from 1647 indicate that the family was integrated into the local community during a period of significant political upheaval in Britain. Because the name is tied to a specific geographic location, it suggests that early ancestors were likely landholders or tenant farmers who adopted the name of their home village when they moved to new areas. This pattern of naming was common in the region, helping to track the migration of families as they moved between the rural borderlands and the growing market towns of North Wales.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Heregast
Old English compound meaning army guest or warrior stranger.
This name
HargestA locational surname derived from a place name in Radnorshire, Wales, likely signifying a settlement of an early Germanic settler.
also spelled
Hargist
Hargast
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Charles, B. G., The Place-Names of Pembrokeshire, 1992
National Library of Wales, Denbigh Borough Records, 1647
Reaney, P. H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
