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'herm. à la fasce de gu., ch. de trois bes. d'arg.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Sehgal family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'herm. à la fasce de gu., ch. de trois bes. d'arg.”

The Sehgal arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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 history of the Sehgal name is deeply rooted in a tradition of migration and cultural adaptation. While the name is widely recognized today within South Asian contexts, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Bretagne, France, as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne served as a vital maritime hub, and families living there were often involved in trade, seafaring, or regional administration. The presence of the family in this coastal area suggests that they were part of a mobile population that navigated the complex social and economic landscapes of early modern Europe. Over time, the family name evolved alongside these shifting environments, reflecting a long history of resilience and integration into diverse communities across different continents.
Derived from the Sanskrit word for royal or kingly.
