A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Medina family of Spain.
lionCourage, strength and royaltyJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or au lion de gu.”
The Medina arms were recorded in Spain, c. 1722.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Castile.
Castile was the heart of Spain and the source of most of its noble families. Land won in the long wars against the Moors was granted out to fighting men, and a man granted land was granted arms along with it.
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 Spain in this period.
Reigning in Spain when the Medina arms are first recorded.
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
The surname Medina is a toponymic name, which means it was originally derived from a specific place. It comes from the Arabic word *madina*, which translates simply to city. During the period of Moorish influence in the Iberian Peninsula, this term was used to identify various urban centers. Families who lived in or near these locations often adopted the name to distinguish themselves from those living in rural areas. By the time your ancestors were documented in the region of Castile in 1722, the name had been established for centuries as a prominent identifier throughout Spain. Because the name was linked to the geography of the land rather than a single bloodline, it emerged independently in several different provinces. This allowed the family name to spread across the kingdom as people moved between cities for trade, administration, and military service.
Arabic term for a city or urban settlement.
