Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
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. en chef de deux étoiles du même et en p. d'une Foi d'arg.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Benazet family of France.
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. en chef de deux étoiles du même et en p. d'une Foi d'arg.”
The Benazet arms were recorded in Languedoc, c. 1663.
Languedoc stretched across the south of France, a country of small towns, vineyards and old local families. Its gentry were numerous rather than grand, and a great many of them held arms even where their estates were modest.
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.
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.
The family name Benazet finds its historical roots in the Languedoc region of southern France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1663. The name is linguistically linked to the Occitan language, which was the primary tongue spoken in this area during the seventeenth century. It is likely derived from the Occitan word "benaset," which translates to "well-seated" or "well-established." This suggests that the original bearers of the name were recognized as stable, respected members of their local rural communities. During this period, families in Languedoc were often tied closely to the land, and their surnames frequently reflected their social standing or their specific connection to the local landscape. By the mid-seventeenth century, the Benazet family was already integrated into the social fabric of the region, participating in the agricultural and communal life that defined life in southern France before the French Revolution.
Latin term meaning blessed or well spoken of.
