A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Asselin family of France.
Reg. 2697 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à trois croix de Malte d'arg.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Asselin Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Asselin arms are recorded
The Asselin 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 Asselin 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 Asselin Family in France
The family name Asselin originates from the northern regions of France, where it developed as a diminutive form of the Germanic name Asse or Ascelin. This name is deeply rooted in the medieval period, often appearing in historical documents across Normandy and Brittany. By the middle of the seventeenth century, the family had established a firm presence in the province of Bretagne. Records from 1663 confirm that members of the Asselin family were active in this region, likely working as farmers, artisans, or local tradespeople. During this era, families in Brittany often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they maintained strong ties to their local parishes. The survival of these early records suggests that the Asselin family was well-integrated into the social and economic life of the Breton countryside during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Asse
A diminutive form of the Germanic name Anselm meaning divine helmet.
This name
AsselinA patronymic surname derived from a diminutive of the name Anselm.
also spelled
Asseline
Aselin
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France. 1951
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine. Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil. 1663
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
