A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Arson family of France.
Reg. 6660 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
portcullisProtection of the household, and the guarded gate
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 une herse de sa.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Arson Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Arson arms are recorded
The Arson arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Arson 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Arson Family in France
The family name Arson traces its documented roots to the rugged landscape of Bretagne, France, where members of the lineage were firmly established by the year 1663. During this period, the region was characterized by tight-knit rural communities and a strong reliance on local agriculture and maritime trade. Families like the Arsons often lived in small parishes where their daily lives were shaped by the influence of the Catholic Church and the traditional customs of the Breton people. As the name appears in regional records from the mid-seventeenth century, it suggests that the family was part of the common citizenry who helped maintain the social and economic fabric of the province. Over time, these early settlers likely adapted to the shifting political landscape of France while preserving their specific regional identity within the western peninsula.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ars
Derived from the Latin word arsus meaning burnt or scorched.
This name
ArsonA topographic name for someone who lived near a site cleared by burning.
also spelled
Arzon
Related arms
Arzonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Collection de la série B (Archives civiles)
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
portcullisProtection of the household, and the guarded gate
portcullisProtection of the household, and the guarded gate
