A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Arpin family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 4503 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“De sa. à la croix ancrée d'arg. C.: un dextrochère arm., tenant une branche de houx, le tout au nat.”
BourgogneBourgogne, c. 1663
Where the Arpin Arms Were Recorded
Bourgogne
Map of France showing where the Arpin arms are recorded
The Arpin arms were recorded in Bourgogne, c. 1663.
Bourgogne was one of the richest parts of France, built on wine, wool and the roads that carried both. Wealth of that kind bought land, and land brought arms, so the region filled with armed families earlier than most of the country.
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 Arpin 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 Bourgogne.
Origin & History of the Arpin Family in France
The Arpin family name has deep roots in the historical region of Bourgogne, France, where records confirm their presence as early as 1663. The name is believed to be a topographic or occupational surname, likely derived from the Old French word "arpent," which referred to a specific unit of land measurement used in the medieval period. This suggests that the earliest ancestors of the family were likely landholders, farmers, or surveyors who worked closely with the local landscape. During the seventeenth century, families in this region were often tied to the agricultural cycles of the countryside, and the name served as a way to identify individuals based on their connection to the soil. As the family grew in Bourgogne, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the rural economy and the development of the provincial communities that defined that era of French history.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Sa. a cross ancred ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Arpin Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Arpin arms are recorded
The Arpin arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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 Arpin 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 England.
Origin & History of the Arpin Family in England
The history of the Arpin name in England is rooted in the social shifts of the early seventeenth century. By 1620, records confirm that members of the Arpin family were established in the city of York. During this period, York served as a major northern hub for trade and administration, attracting families who sought opportunities in the growing urban economy. The name itself likely evolved from older linguistic roots, possibly linked to occupational or descriptive terms common in medieval naming traditions. As these early settlers integrated into the local community, they participated in the daily life of a city defined by its ancient walls and its role as a regional center of influence. Their presence in York suggests that the family was part of the steady movement of people who helped shape the cultural and social landscape of northern England during the transition into the Stuart era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Arpa
A Latin term referring to a sickle or a curved tool.
This name
ArpinAn occupational name for a maker or user of sickles or a topographic name for a curved field.
also spelled
Arpyn
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Côte-d'Or, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
