A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Pedraza family of Spain.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“d'azur équipollés à quatre d'or.”
The Pedraza 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 Pedraza 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 Pedraza originates from the rugged landscapes of the Castile region in central Spain. It is a topographic name, which means it was originally given to people who lived near a specific landmark or geographic feature. The name is derived from the Spanish word "pedra," which refers to stone or rock, suggesting that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a rocky outcrop or a fortified stone settlement. By the early 18th century, the family was well-established within the social and administrative structures of Castile. During this period, members of the family were active participants in the local community, often appearing in parish registers and municipal documents that tracked births, marriages, and land ownership. These records from 1722 confirm that the Pedraza family was deeply rooted in the traditions and daily life of the Castilian countryside, where they contributed to the agricultural and social development of their home province.
Latin term referring to a rock, stone, or crag.
