A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Anthon family of France.
dragonA most valiant defender of treasureJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or au dragon à face humaine”
The Anthon arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Reigning in France when the Anthon arms are first recorded.
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 Anthon traces its roots back to the linguistic traditions of Western Europe, where it evolved as a variation of the name Anthony. By the mid-seventeenth century, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Bretagne, France. During this period, families in Bretagne were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the distinct cultural identity of the province. Living in this coastal area meant that the early Anthon family likely navigated the complex social changes occurring under the French monarchy during the reign of Louis XIV. While the name was spread across various regions, the specific presence of the family in Bretagne by 1663 suggests they were part of the long-standing demographic history of the French countryside, where families often remained in the same parishes for generations to maintain their land and community ties.
A Roman family name of uncertain, possibly Etruscan, origin.
