A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Berrier family of France.
Reg. 3499 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 chiffre 4 d'or, formant croix à sen., soutenu d'un A du même; à dextre une fleur-de-lis aussi d'or et à sen. une rose d'arg.”
FranceAutun, c. 1663
Where the Berrier Arms Were Recorded
Autun
Map of France showing where the Berrier arms are recorded
The Berrier arms were recorded in Autun, c. 1663.
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 Berrier 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 Berrier Family in France
The family name Berrier finds its roots in the historical landscape of France, with documented evidence placing members of the lineage in the city of Autun by 1663. During the seventeenth century, Autun was a significant religious and administrative center in the Burgundy region, and families living there were often connected to the local trade guilds or the regional church bureaucracy. The name itself likely evolved from Old French terms related to fruit cultivation or gardening, specifically referring to someone who gathered berries or worked in an orchard. As the family established themselves in this ancient city, they became part of the local social fabric during a time of great transition in French history. By settling in a city known for its Roman heritage and medieval architecture, the early Berriers lived in a community that valued record-keeping, which allowed their presence to be preserved in local parish registers and legal documents for centuries to come.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Berier
Derived from the Old French word for a berry or fruit.
This name
BerrierAn occupational surname for a person who gathered or sold berries or fruit.
Related arms
Rolinrecorded with Berrier, same area
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de Saône-et-Loire, Registres paroissiaux de la ville d'Autun, 1663
Bouchard, Constance Brittain, Sword, Miter, and Cloister: Nobility and the Church in Burgundy, 980-1198, 1987
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
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