A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Berthel family of France.
Reg. 5947 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. au chev. de sa.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1663
Where the Berthel Arms Were Recorded
Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Berthel arms are recorded
The Berthel arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1663.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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 Berthel 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Berthel Family in France
The family name Berthel originates from the Germanic roots of the Lorraine region, where the name was firmly established by the mid-seventeenth century. It is derived from the ancient personal name Berht, which translates to bright or famous. During the 1660s, families bearing this name lived in the rural landscapes of northeastern France, a territory that frequently shifted between French and German cultural influences. Because Lorraine served as a crossroads for trade and migration, the Berthel family likely worked as skilled laborers or farmers who contributed to the local economy of the duchy. Their presence in 1663 suggests they were part of the stable, land-holding population that helped define the social structure of the region before the major political shifts of the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Berht
A Germanic element meaning bright, famous, or illustrious.
This name
BerthelA diminutive form derived from Germanic roots signifying a bright or famous ruler.
also spelled
Berthell
Berthels
Berthele
Bertel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France. 1951
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle. Registres paroissiaux de l'ancien duché de Lorraine. 1663
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