A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blan family of France.
Reg. 7622 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 une épée d'arg., garnie d'or. (lions d'arg.”
RoussillonRoussillon, c. 1663
Where the Blan Arms Were Recorded
Roussillon
Map of France showing where the Blan arms are recorded
The Blan arms were recorded in Roussillon, c. 1663.
Roussillon was Pyrenean country that belonged to Spain before it belonged to France. Its families held small estates under both crowns, and serving either one brought a shield.
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 Blan 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 Roussillon.
Origin & History of the Blan Family in France
The family name Blan has deep roots in the Roussillon region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Roussillon was a unique area that had recently transitioned from Spanish to French control following the Treaty of the Pyrenees. Families like the Blans lived through this period of significant political change while maintaining their presence in the local agricultural and social landscape. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term, possibly referring to a person with fair hair or a pale complexion, which was a common way to distinguish individuals in small, tight-knit communities. Over generations, the family became firmly established in the local culture of the Eastern Pyrenees, contributing to the history of a region defined by its rugged mountains and Mediterranean influence.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
blancus
A Latin term meaning white or fair-haired.
This name
BlanA topographic or descriptive surname referring to someone with a pale complexion or light hair.
also spelled
Blann
Blane
Blant
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales des Pyrénées-Orientales, Collection des registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives nationales de France, Série G, Fonds du clergé séculier
Capeille, Jean, Dictionnaire de biographies roussillonnaises, 1914
Sahlins, Peter, Boundaries: The Making of France and Spain in the Pyrenees, 1989
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
swordJustice, and military honour
swordJustice, and military honour
