Map of France showing where the Astrain arms are recorded
The Astrain arms were recorded in Lyonnais, c. 1663.
Lyonnais centred on Lyon, one of the great banking and silk towns of France. Money made in the city bought estates in the countryside around it, and those estates brought arms with them.
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 Astrain 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 Lyonnais.
Origin & History of the Astrain Family in France
The family name Astrain finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of the Pyrenees, specifically within the Navarre region of Spain. The name is believed to be topographic in origin, likely derived from the Basque language to describe a location near a rocky or stony place. By the middle of the seventeenth century, members of the family had migrated northward into the Lyonnais region of France. Records confirm their presence in this area by 1663, suggesting that the family was part of the broader movement of people crossing the border for trade or agricultural opportunities during the early modern period. As they settled into the French countryside, the family integrated into local parish life, leaving behind traces in baptismal and marriage registers that document their transition from their ancestral Spanish roots to their new life in the heart of France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
astrum
Latin word meaning star or celestial body.
This name
AstrainDerived from a topographic location associated with stars or a place of high elevation.
also spelled
Austreine
Ostrein
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Rhône, Registres paroissiaux de l'état civil
Archivo General de Navarra, Sección de Comptos
Mikel Belasko, Diccionario etimológico de los nombres de los pueblos, villas y ciudades de Navarra, 1999
Jean-Baptiste Orpustan, Toponymie basque, 1997
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
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dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
wyvernValour and protection, and victory over the plague
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
wyvernValour and protection, and victory over the plague
