A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Belon family of France.
Reg. 6873 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
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 au chev. d'or, acc. de trois coquilles du même.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Belon Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Belon arms are recorded
The Belon 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 Belon 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 Belon Family in France
The family name Belon has deep roots in the historical region of Brittany, France, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1663. The name itself is thought to be a variation of the Old French word "bel," which means beautiful or fair, and it was likely used as a descriptive nickname for a person with an attractive appearance or a pleasant personality. During the seventeenth century, families in Brittany often lived in rural parishes where they worked as farmers or artisans, contributing to the local economy and the unique cultural identity of the region. Because the name was relatively common, it appears in various parish registers from this era, which served as the primary way to track births, marriages, and deaths in small communities. These early Belon ancestors were part of a traditional society that relied on strong family ties and local loyalty to survive and prosper in the coastal landscape of western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
bel
Latin root meaning beautiful or fair.
This name
BelonA descriptive nickname for a handsome or beautiful individual.
Related arms
Bellonvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives Départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms 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.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
