A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bidon family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 7936 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fretPersuasion, and the net that holds
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur fretté de six lances de tournoi d'or; les claire-voies semées de lionceaux du même.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Bidon Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Bidon arms are recorded
The Bidon arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 Bidon 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Bidon Family in France
The name Bidon has deep roots in the French region of Normandy, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1663. In the French language, the word "bidon" historically referred to a specific type of metal or wooden container used to carry liquids like water or wine. It is highly likely that the surname originated as a nickname for a person who made these vessels, known as a cooper, or perhaps for someone who worked as a water carrier. During the seventeenth century, families in Normandy often lived in tight-knit rural communities where such occupational names became permanent identifiers passed down from parents to children. By the time the family appeared in the 1663 records, they were already part of the local social fabric, contributing to the agricultural and craft-based economy that defined the Norman countryside during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
ErmineMeans: Dignity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Gu. a quarter erm. charged with a lion ramp. az”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Bidon Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Bidon arms are recorded
The Bidon arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in France when the Bidon arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Bidon Family in England
The history of the Bidon family in England is rooted in the northern city of York, where records confirm members of the family were living by the year 1620. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious activity, and families like the Bidons were often integrated into the local merchant or craft guilds that defined the city’s economy. The name itself likely originated from a descriptive term, as the word "bidon" historically referred to a type of container or vessel used for carrying liquids. It is probable that an early ancestor earned the name through their occupation as a maker of these containers or as someone who transported goods in them. As these individuals settled in York, they became part of the social fabric of a city recovering from the political shifts of the Elizabethan era, establishing a presence that would persist through the generations as they adapted to the changing demands of English life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bido
A Germanic personal name derived from the element bid meaning command.
This name
BidonA diminutive form referring to a small container or a barrel maker.
also spelled
Bydon
Beedon
Byddon
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
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
fretPersuasion, and the net that holds
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fretPersuasion, and the net that holds
