Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un griffon d'or, langué et onglé de gu. D.: MAJOR FAMA.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Mynhier family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un griffon d'or, langué et onglé de gu. D.: MAJOR FAMA.”

The Mynhier arms were recorded in Bourgogne, c. 1663.
Bourgogne was one of the richest parts of France, built on wine, wool and the roads that carried both. Wealth of that kind bought land, and land brought arms, so the region filled with armed families earlier than most of the country.
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.
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 Mynhier traces its roots back to the historical region of Bourgogne, France, where members of the family were documented as early as 1663. During this period, the name likely emerged as a descriptive identifier or a localized surname tied to the specific social and agricultural landscape of eastern France. Families living in Bourgogne at this time were often deeply connected to the land and the regional economy, which was heavily influenced by viticulture and trade. As the family moved through the seventeenth century, the name evolved alongside the linguistic shifts of the region, reflecting the transition from older dialects to a more standardized form of French. This early presence suggests that the Mynhier lineage was well-established within the local community, participating in the daily life and administrative records of the Burgundian province long before later migrations spread the name to other parts of the world.
A person who operates a mill for grinding grain.
