A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Belleville family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 2045 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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 deux léopards lionnés adossés d'or.”
ArtoisArtois, c. 1663
Where the Belleville Arms Were Recorded
Artois
Map of France showing where the Belleville arms are recorded
The Belleville arms were recorded in Artois, c. 1663.
Artois lay on the disputed ground between France and the Low Countries and was fought over for centuries. Families there held their land under arms, and a shield was how a fighting household was known.
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 Belleville 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 Artois.
Origin & History of the Belleville Family in France
The surname Belleville originated as a locative name in France, meaning it was used to identify families who lived in or hailed from a place called "beautiful town." By the mid-seventeenth century, the family established a notable presence in the province of Artois. This region in northern France was a complex area of shifting borders and cultural exchange between the French crown and the Spanish Netherlands. Living in Artois during the 1660s meant that the Belleville family existed within a landscape shaped by the aftermath of the Thirty Years' War and the ongoing territorial ambitions of King Louis XIV. As the region transitioned firmly into French control during this period, families like the Bellevilles became part of a changing administrative landscape that required deeper integration into the kingdom’s legal and social structures. Their presence in this specific northern territory highlights a history rooted in the agricultural and strategic heart of the region.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
swordJustice, and military honour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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 l'épée d'arg., en pal, passée dans une couronne d'or à cinq perles d'arg., et accostée de deux etoiles (8) d'or. Cq. cour., traversé d'une épée en bande, la pointe en haut. C.: une queue de paon au nat, les plumes disposées sur deux rangs. L.: d'or et d'azur. S.: deux cerfs, au nat.”
SaxonySaxony, c. 1744
Where the Belleville Arms Were Recorded
Saxony
Map of Germany showing where the Belleville arms are recorded
The Belleville arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1744.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often in the registers.
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 Germany in this period.
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
1742–1745
Reigning in France when the Belleville arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Saxony.
Origin & History of the Belleville Family in Germany
The family name Belleville carries a distinct history that reflects the movement of people across European borders during the eighteenth century. While the name itself carries French linguistic roots, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established in the region of Saxony by 1744. During this period, Saxony was a hub of cultural and economic activity under the rule of the Electors of Saxony. Families like the Bellevilles often settled in such regions due to the expansion of trade networks or the migration of skilled workers seeking new opportunities in growing German urban centers. By integrating into the local society of Saxony, these early family members adapted to the German administrative and social systems of the time. Their presence in the mid-1700s suggests they were part of a broader trend of families establishing roots in Central Europe, where they contributed to the local community while maintaining a name that hinted at their ancestral heritage.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bellus and Villa
Latin for beautiful or handsome and a country house or estate.
This name
BellevilleRefers to a person who lived near or originated from a beautiful village or estate.
also spelled
Beleville
Belevil
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Pas-de-Calais, Série B: Cours et juridictions
Bruneel, Claude, Le duché de Brabant à l'époque moderne, 2005
Lottin, Alain, Histoire des provinces françaises du Nord, 1989
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
swordJustice, and military honour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
