Map of France showing where the Anway arms are recorded
The Anway arms were recorded in Picardie, c. 1663.
Picardie lay on the northern road into France and saw armies pass through it repeatedly. Its landowners were soldiers as often as farmers, and a soldier needed a shield he could be recognised by.
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 Anway 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 Picardie.
Origin & History of the Anway Family in France
The family name Anway is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of northern France, specifically within the Picardie region. Records confirm that members of the family were established in this area by 1663, living through a period defined by agricultural development and the shifting borders of the French monarchy. During the seventeenth century, families in Picardie often centered their lives around local parish communities and the cultivation of the fertile northern plains. As the name evolved over generations, it likely reflected the linguistic shifts common to the region, where local dialects blended with standard French. By maintaining a presence in this specific province, the early Anway family participated in the social and economic life of a region known for its strategic importance and its resilient rural traditions.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Anwe
Old French term referring to a small stream or water source.
This name
AnwayA locational surname identifying someone who lived near a specific brook or small river.
also spelled
Aunai
Onay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Somme, Série B: Cours et juridictions
Archives départementales de l'Aisne, Série E: Familles, notaires et état civil
Boulanger, Marcel, Histoire de la Picardie, 1948
Lemaire, Eugène, Histoire de la Picardie, 1925
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
