A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Aquitaine family of France.
Reg. 8614 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à l'aigle de sin.; à la bord. d'azur, semée de fleurs-de-lis du champ.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Aquitaine Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Aquitaine arms are recorded
The Aquitaine 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.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Aquitaine 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 France.
Origin & History of the Aquitaine Family in France
The family name Aquitaine is deeply connected to the historical region of southwestern France, though its presence in the northwestern province of Bretagne by 1663 suggests a significant migration of the family during the seventeenth century. While the name originally served as a geographic identifier linked to the ancient Duchy of Aquitaine, families bearing this name likely moved north to seek new opportunities in the expanding administrative and agricultural centers of Brittany. During this era, people often adopted names based on their ancestral homelands to preserve their heritage as they settled in new territories. By the time the family appears in the records of Bretagne in the mid-1600s, they were part of a mobile population that helped shape the local social landscape. This transition from the south to the west reflects the internal movement of families who maintained their regional identity long after leaving their place of origin.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Aqua
Latin word referring to water or a body of water.
This name
AquitaineRefers to the land of waters, specifically the region in southwestern France.
also spelled
Aquitainee
Akitain
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Bouchard, Gérard, Quelques arpents d'Amérique: Population et économie du peuplement français en Amérique du Nord, 1996
Le Roy Ladurie, Emmanuel, Histoire de la France des régions, 2001
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
