Map of France showing where the Barbas arms are recorded
The Barbas 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.
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 Barbas 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Barbas Family in France
The surname Barbas carries a history deeply rooted in the rural landscapes of western France, with confirmed records placing the family in the region of Bretagne as early as 1663. The name itself is thought to derive from the Old French word for beard, which was often used as a descriptive nickname for a man with a prominent or thick beard. During the seventeenth century, families in Bretagne were typically tied to the land through agriculture or local trades, and they lived within tight-knit parish communities. As the family established itself in this coastal province, they became part of the long-standing cultural traditions of the Breton people. Over the following generations, the name persisted through the careful documentation of baptisms, marriages, and burials kept by local church officials, which allowed the family line to remain identifiable in regional records for centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
barba
Latin term meaning beard or whiskers.
This name
BarbasA descriptive nickname for a man with a prominent or thick beard.
also spelled
Barbaiz
Barbay
Barbai
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
Poterie, Jean de la, Histoire de Bretagne, 1966
Tanguy, Bernard, Dictionnaire des noms de communes, trèves et paroisses des Côtes-d'Armor, 1992
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
pine coneLife and fertility
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
pine coneLife and fertility
