A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Lagadec family of France.
cinquefoilHope and joyJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'herm. à une quintefeuille de gu. D.: PLUTÔT MOURIR QUE PÂLIR.”
The Lagadec arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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.
Reigning in France when the Lagadec arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Lagadec originates from the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were established by at least 1663. The name itself is derived from the Breton language, specifically combining the word "lagad," which means eye, with a suffix that often denotes a specific physical trait or a nickname. In the context of early Breton naming customs, this suggests that the name likely began as a descriptive label for an ancestor known for a particular gaze or perhaps a sharp, observant nature. As the family grew, they became deeply rooted in the rural landscape of western Brittany, where they participated in the local agricultural and parish life typical of the seventeenth century. Over time, the name became a permanent identifier for families living within these tight-knit communities, preserving a linguistic link to the ancient Celtic roots of the region.
Breton words meaning a place or person associated with a hollow.
