Map of France showing where the Henin arms are recorded
The Henin arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1514.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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 XII of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XII of France
1498–1515
Reigning in France when the Henin 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Henin Family in France
The family name Henin traces its roots to the historic region of Lorraine, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1514. During this period, Lorraine was a vibrant duchy located between the French and German cultural spheres, which influenced the development of local names. The name Henin likely originated as a diminutive form of the name Henri, a common practice in medieval naming conventions where suffixes were added to personalize or identify younger members of a household. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric in the borderlands, often documented in regional tax records and land deeds that tracked the movement of families across the Meuse and Moselle river valleys. By settling in this crossroads of Europe, the early Henin family participated in the agricultural and administrative life of the duchy, helping to solidify their presence in the region for generations to come.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Johannes
God is gracious
This name
HeninA diminutive form of the name John, indicating a descendant of John.
also spelled
Hennin
Related arms
Hayninsimilar arms
Henninvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bastien, Henri, Histoire de la Lorraine, 1974
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Série B: Cours et juridictions (Chambre des comptes de Lorraine)
Lepage, Henri, Les communes de la Meurthe: journal historique des villes, bourgs, villages, hameaux et censes de ce département, 1853
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cross symbolChristian faith and service
