Map of France showing where the Binks arms are recorded
The Binks arms were recorded in Languedoc, c. 1663.
Languedoc stretched across the south of France, a country of small towns, vineyards and old local families. Its gentry were numerous rather than grand, and a great many of them held arms even where their estates were modest.
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 Binks 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 Languedoc.
Origin & History of the Binks Family in France
The family name Binks is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname, likely derived from the Middle English word "bink," which referred to a bench or a ledge. By the mid-seventeenth century, members of the family had established a presence in the Languedoc region of southern France by 1663. This movement suggests that early ancestors were likely part of the mobile population of merchants or skilled laborers who traveled across European borders during a time of significant religious and economic change. While the name is traditionally associated with Northern England, its appearance in French records indicates that the family was well-integrated into the local administrative systems of the time. These early Binks ancestors were likely involved in the agricultural or trade-based economy that defined the Languedoc landscape during the reign of Louis XIV.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bink
A diminutive or pet form of the Germanic name Benedict.
This name
BinksA patronymic surname derived from a nickname for a blessed or fortunate person.
also spelled
Buinss
Buins-de
Buins-von
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Archives départementales de l'Hérault, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
