A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Levant family of Belgium.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Losangé d'arg. et de gu.”
The Levant arms were recorded in Brabant, c. 1737.
Brabant lay at the heart of the Low Countries, where the trade routes met. Its towns were wealthy and its landowners many, and both kinds of family kept arms, which is why the region is so heavily represented.
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.
Reigning in Belgium when the Levant arms are first recorded.
In Belgium, a coat of arms is considered personal property that is passed down through the male line to legitimate descendants. Families often use the same shield design across generations to show their shared heritage. If a branch of the family wants to change the design, they must apply for an official update to their specific version of the arms.
The family name Levant has deep roots in the historical region of Brabant, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1737. During the eighteenth century, Brabant was a bustling center of trade and agriculture located within the Southern Netherlands. Families living in this area often took names that reflected their connection to the land or their movement between different European territories. The name itself likely derives from the French word for the east, which was a term commonly used to describe the direction of the rising sun or regions located toward the Mediterranean. It is probable that early ancestors were involved in the regional markets or served as local craftsmen who helped maintain the economic stability of the province. By settling in Brabant, the family became part of a complex social landscape defined by shifting borders and the influence of both Dutch and French cultures.
Derived from the Latin word levare meaning to rise or lift.
