A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Acre family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 4886 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à la bande d'arg.”
ForezForez, c. 1663
Where the Acre Arms Were Recorded
Forez
Map of France showing where the Acre arms are recorded
The Acre arms were recorded in Forez, c. 1663.
Forez was a small upland county in central France, thick with minor gentry holding modest estates. Its families were more numerous than wealthy, and even a small holding was enough for a shield of one's own.
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 France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Acre arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
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.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Forez.
Origin & History of the Acre Family in France
The family name Acre finds its roots in the historical province of Forez, a region known for its rolling hills and deep ties to the French countryside. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area, living as part of the local social fabric. The name itself likely evolved from the Old French word for a field or a specific measurement of land, suggesting that the earliest ancestors were farmers or landowners who defined their identity by the soil they cultivated. During the seventeenth century, families in Forez often lived in tight-knit rural communities where a surname served as a link to their specific plot of land and their ancestral heritage. As the family grew, they became a quiet but persistent part of the regional history, reflecting the steady and hardworking nature of the people who shaped the landscape of central France.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fusilTravail and industry
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Gu. three fusils in fesse or, and in chief as many escallops ar”
WestmorlandWestmorland, c. 1620
Where the Acre Arms Were Recorded
Westmorland
Map of England showing where the Acre arms are recorded
The Acre arms were recorded in Westmorland, c. 1620.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in France when the Acre arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Westmorland.
Origin & History of the Acre Family in England
The family name Acre, often appearing in early records as Aker or Akeres, traces its roots to the topographical features of the English landscape. In Old English, the word referred to a field or a specific measure of land, suggesting that the earliest ancestors to adopt the name were likely farmers or landowners who lived near a prominent field. By the early seventeenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Westmorland. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the family were settled in this rugged northern region, where they were integrated into the local community life. During this period, families often took their surnames from the geography of their home, and the Acre name likely served as a simple way to identify individuals based on the specific plots of land they cultivated or managed. This connection to the soil highlights a long history of agricultural life in rural England, where the identity of a family was deeply tied to the environment they inhabited.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
ager
Latin term for a field, land, or territory.
This name
AcreRefers to a person who lived on or worked a specific plot of cultivated land.
also spelled
Acker
Aker
Akeres
Akerre
Related arms
Aker, or Acrevariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Loire, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la commune de Saint-Étienne, 1663
Fournier, Gabriel, Le peuplement rural en France, 1962
Gonon, Marguerite, La vie quotidienne en Forez au XVIIe siècle, 1960
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fusilTravail and industry
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
