A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bétancourt family of France.
Reg. 1436 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fascesAuthority joined to unity
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 échiq. de sa. et d'arg. (parti de deux traits, coupé de trois, formant douze points); au 2 d'azur à deux fasces de gu. Au chef d'arg., br. sur le parti et ch. d'un lion iss. de sa., cour. d'or.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Bétancourt Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bétancourt arms are recorded
The Bétancourt arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Bétancourt 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 Bétancourt Family in France
The surname Bétancourt originates from the northern regions of France, specifically rooted in the historical province of Normandy. The name is locative, meaning it was derived from a specific place known as Bethencourt, which translates to the estate or farmstead of a person named Betto. While the family established a significant presence in the region of Bretagne by 1663, the name itself reflects the medieval practice of identifying individuals by their ancestral lands. Over several centuries, families bearing this name moved across different French provinces, often serving in local administration or agriculture. By the mid-seventeenth century, the Bétancourt name had become well-integrated into the social fabric of Bretagne, marking a transition from a localized geographic identifier to a stable family lineage that persisted through generations of French history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bethencourt
A settlement or farmstead belonging to a person named Betto.
This name
BétancourtA locative surname originating from a village in Normandy, signifying an estate established by a Frankish settler.
also spelled
Betancour
Related arms
Bethancourtvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France. 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
Archives Départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine. Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil. 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fascesAuthority joined to unity
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fascesAuthority joined to unity
