A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Belknap family of France.
Reg. 8594 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à trois aigles d'arg., posées en bande entre deux cotices du même.”
FranceNew-York, c. 1725
Where the Belknap Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Belknap arms are recorded
The Belknap arms were recorded in New-York, 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 Belknap 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 Belknap Family in France
The family name Belknap has deep roots that trace back to the medieval period in England, where it likely originated as a topographical name for someone living near a specific woodland area. The name is derived from the Old English words for a beautiful or pleasant hill. By the early 18th century, members of the family had established a presence in the region of Bretagne in France by 1725. During this era, families often moved across borders for trade, military service, or religious reasons, which explains how the name migrated from its English origins to the French coast. These early ancestors were part of a time when surnames were becoming more fixed, helping to track the movement of families as they settled into new communities and adapted to the local culture of their new homes.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bel Knap
A combination of the Old French bel meaning beautiful and Old English knap.
This name
BelknapRefers to someone who lived near a beautiful hilltop or a small rounded summit.
also spelled
Belknappe
Belnap
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1725
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
