A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Billon family of France.
Reg. 3484 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
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 à trois billots d'or, posés chacun en bande, l'un sur l'autre.”
MarcheMarche, c. 1663
Where the Billon Arms Were Recorded
Marche
Map of France showing where the Billon arms are recorded
The Billon arms were recorded in Marche, c. 1663.
Marche was poor upland country in central France, thinly settled and rarely rich. Its gentry held small estates for a very long time, and long tenure counted for more than money.
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 Billon 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 Marche.
Origin & History of the Billon Family in France
The surname Billon originates from the historical province of Marche in central France, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1663. The name is believed to be a derivative of the Old French word "bille," which referred to a thick piece of wood or a log. In the social context of the seventeenth century, this suggests that the earliest ancestors likely worked in the timber trade, forestry, or as carpenters within the dense woodlands of the region. As families began to adopt permanent surnames to distinguish themselves in growing rural communities, the name Billon served as a descriptive occupational marker. By the mid-1600s, members of the family were integrated into the local agrarian society of Marche, living through a period of transition as the French monarchy sought to centralize control over provincial lands and record-keeping.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bille
Old French term for a log, stick, or tree trunk.
This name
BillonA nickname for a person who was short or stout like a log.
also spelled
Byllon
Billo
Biyon
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Creuse, Collection de l'état civil de la province de la Marche (1600–1700)
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
