Map of France showing where the Berkel arms are recorded
The Berkel arms were recorded in France, 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 Berkel 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 Berkel Family in France
The family name Berkel has deep roots tied to the landscape and movement of people across Europe. By the year 1725, records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Bretagne in France. During this period, families often took names based on their geographic origins or the specific features of the land where they lived. The name itself is thought to be linked to the Germanic word for birch trees, suggesting that the earliest ancestors may have resided near a prominent birch forest or a settlement named after these trees. As families moved from their original homes into new territories like Bretagne, they carried these identifiers with them, helping to track their migration patterns across the continent. Over time, the name evolved through different local dialects and spellings as the family integrated into the social and agricultural life of their new communities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Birke
Germanic term referring to the birch tree.
This name
BerkelA topographic name for someone who lived near a birch tree or birch forest.
also spelled
Van Berkel
Berkel
Berkell
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Série B (Fonds des juridictions seigneuriales)
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
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