A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bergevin family of France.
Reg. 7726 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. au chev., acc. en chef de deux grappes de raisins et en p. d'un croiss., le tout d'or.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1775
Where the Bergevin Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bergevin arms are recorded
The Bergevin arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1775.
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 XVI of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XVI of France
1774–1791
Reigning in France when the Bergevin 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 Bergevin Family in France
The family name Bergevin traces its roots to the historic region of Brittany in northwestern France. By the year 1775, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this coastal territory, where the name likely evolved from a descriptive term related to the local landscape or specific agricultural roles. In the French language, the name is often associated with the word "berge," which refers to a riverbank or a steep slope. This suggests that the earliest ancestors may have been people who lived near a prominent waterway or worked on elevated terrain. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Brittany, a region known for its strong maritime traditions and distinct cultural identity. Over the following generations, the name spread as family members moved through different parishes and towns, maintaining their connection to this ancestral home while adapting to the changing political landscape of eighteenth-century France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Berge
A mountain or a high elevation of land.
This name
BergevinA topographic name for someone who lived near a mountain or hill.
also spelled
Bergevinh
Bergevine
Berzhaven
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
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.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
