Map of France showing where the Awan arms are recorded
The Awan arms were recorded in Artois, c. 1663.
Artois lay on the disputed ground between France and the Low Countries and was fought over for centuries. Families there held their land under arms, and a shield was how a fighting household was known.
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 Awan 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 Artois.
Origin & History of the Awan Family in France
The history of the Awan family name is deeply rooted in the historical province of Artois, located in northern France. Records confirm that members of the family were established in this region by 1663, a time when the area was transitioning through complex political changes involving the French crown and the Spanish Netherlands. The name likely evolved as a regional identifier, reflecting the linguistic patterns common to the borderlands where French and Flemish influences often met. Families living in Artois during the seventeenth century were frequently involved in agriculture or local trade, contributing to the stability of the rural economy. By maintaining a presence in this specific territory, the early Awan family became part of the long-standing cultural fabric of northern France, living through an era defined by shifting borders and the development of local administrative record-keeping.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Avan
Derived from the Old French word for forward or ahead.
This name
AwanA topographic name for someone who lived in a forward position or at the front.
also spelled
Auwaine
Oovan
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Pas-de-Calais, Série B: Cours et juridictions
Archives départementales du Pas-de-Calais, Série E: Familles et seigneuries
Gauvard, Claude, La France au Moyen Âge du Ve au XVe siècle, 1996
Lottin, Alain, Histoire des provinces françaises du Nord: Tome 2, Le XVIe siècle, 1500-1598, 1989
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
