A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Quijada family of Spain.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à quatre mâchoires inférieures d'azur, 2 et 2.”
The Quijada 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 Quijada 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 family name Quijada has deep roots in the historical region of Castile, Spain. By the early 18th century, the family was well-established in this area, which served as a central hub for Spanish culture and administration. The name itself is thought to be descriptive, likely originating from a nickname that referred to a person’s jawline or facial features. During the 1700s, families with this surname were often involved in the local agricultural and social life of the Castilian countryside. As the family grew, members moved across different provinces, helping to spread the name throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Their presence in 1722 suggests that the Quijada lineage was already stable and integrated into the local community long before the modern era.
Latin term referring to the jawbone or mandible.
