Map of France showing where the Barbery arms are recorded
The Barbery 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 Barbery 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 Barbery Family in France
The family name Barbery has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1725. The name is believed to be a variation of the French word barbier, which translates to barber. In the eighteenth century, a barber was not just someone who cut hair. These professionals often performed minor surgeries, pulled teeth, and managed bloodletting as part of their trade. Because these skills were essential in rural villages, families carrying this name often held a respected and necessary role within their local communities. As the family grew in the coastal and inland areas of Bretagne, they became part of the local agricultural and artisanal fabric that defined the region during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.
Barbery Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Barbarus
Latin term meaning foreign, strange, or someone who does not speak Latin.
This name
BarberyA locative or descriptive surname referring to someone from a foreign land or a stranger.
also spelled
Barberie
Barberee
Related arms
Barberievariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil (1725)
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France (1951)
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille (1991)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
