A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bandiera family of France.
Reg. 0085 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 la tour de gu., ouv. de sa., sommée d'un drapeau coupé de gu. sur arg., ch. d'une main d'aigle de l'un en l'autre. Cq. cour. C.: un griffon iss. d'or, tenant de ses pattes le drapeau de l'écu. S.: deux griffons d'or.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Bandiera Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bandiera arms are recorded
The Bandiera arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Bandiera 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 Bandiera Family in France
The family name Bandiera carries a history deeply rooted in the cultural landscape of eighteenth-century France. By 1725, records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Bretagne. During this period, the family lived in a society defined by local traditions and the unique social structures of the Breton provinces. While the name itself suggests a connection to the Italian word for flag, its presence in northwestern France indicates a history of migration or trade between Mediterranean regions and the Atlantic coast. Families in Bretagne at this time were often involved in maritime commerce or local agriculture, and the Bandiera name likely became integrated into these communities as they navigated the shifting political and social tides of the era. This early documented presence highlights how families moved across borders to build new lives, leaving behind a legacy that remains tied to the historical development of their adopted home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
bandum
A Frankish or Germanic term referring to a banner or standard.
This name
BandieraAn occupational name for a standard-bearer or someone who carried a flag.
also spelled
Bandierae
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1725
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
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towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
