A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Berthet family of France.
Reg. 8213 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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 sin. à la gerbe”
ForezForez, c. 1663
Where the Berthet Arms Were Recorded
Forez
Map of France showing where the Berthet arms are recorded
The Berthet arms were recorded in Forez, c. 1663.
Forez was a small upland county in central France, thick with minor gentry holding modest estates. Its families were more numerous than wealthy, and even a small holding was enough for a shield of one's 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 Berthet 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 Forez.
Origin & History of the Berthet Family in France
The family name Berthet traces its roots to the historic province of Forez in east-central France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established in this region, which was known for its rugged mountains and fertile river valleys. The name itself is a variation of the ancient Germanic name Berht, which translates to bright or famous. During the seventeenth century, families in the Forez area were often deeply connected to the land, working as skilled farmers or craftsmen in the small villages that dotted the landscape. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the agricultural and economic life of the province during a time of significant change in French history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Berht
A Germanic element meaning bright, famous, or illustrious.
This name
BerthetA diminutive form derived from the Germanic name Bert, signifying a bright or famous person.
also spelled
Berthet
Chazelies
Berthet-Chazelies
Berte de Shazeli
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Forest, Émile, Le Forez et ses familles, 1924
Archives départementales de la Loire, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil du Forez, 1663
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wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
