Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à trois merlettes de gu.; au canton du même.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Badam family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à trois merlettes de gu.; au canton du même.”
The Badam 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.
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.
The history of the Badam family in France is rooted in the rugged landscape of Bretagne, where records confirm their presence as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, this region was a distinct province with its own strong cultural identity and local traditions. Families like the Badams often lived in small rural communities where they contributed to the local agricultural economy or served in regional trades. Because Bretagne was a maritime hub, it is possible that the family name was influenced by the constant movement of people and goods through coastal ports. Life in this era required great resilience, as families navigated the shifting political landscape of the French monarchy while maintaining their deep ties to the Breton countryside. By settling in this area, the early members of the Badam family became part of a long tradition of families who helped shape the social fabric of western France through their daily work and community involvement.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“A chev. erm. betw. three bulls' heads”
The Badam arms were recorded in Cornwall, c. 1723.
Cornwall was a county apart, with its own language and its own tight-knit gentry. Tin and the sea made money there, and families who made it bought land, which is what brought arms with it.
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.
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.
The family name Badam has deep roots in the rugged landscape of Cornwall, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1723. During this period, Cornwall was a center for tin mining and maritime trade, which likely shaped the daily lives and occupations of early ancestors. The name itself is thought to be a variation of older occupational or locational surnames that evolved as families moved between small parishes and coastal villages. Because Cornwall remained somewhat isolated from the rest of England due to its geography, families in the region often maintained distinct naming patterns and strong local ties for generations. By settling in this southwestern corner of the country, the early Badam family became part of a unique cultural history defined by mining, fishing, and a strong sense of regional identity that persisted long after the eighteenth century.
Derived from the Latin amandus meaning worthy of love.

