A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blevin family of France.
Reg. 9866 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
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 au trois croiss. d'or.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Blevin Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Blevin arms are recorded
The Blevin arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Blevin 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Blevin Family in France
The family name Blevin traces its roots back to the coastal region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this historic province. The name itself is believed to be derived from the ancient Breton language, likely linked to words describing a person with a fair or pale complexion. During the seventeenth century, families in this area often lived in close-knit rural communities where they worked as farmers or artisans. These early ancestors were part of a distinct cultural group that maintained its own language and traditions separate from the rest of France. As time passed, the family name spread beyond the borders of Bretagne, eventually traveling across the Atlantic to North America where it became a permanent part of the regional history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bleidd
A Welsh term referring to a wolf.
This name
BlevinDerived from a diminutive form meaning little wolf or son of the wolf.
also spelled
Blevyn
Blevins
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Deshayes, Albert, Dictionnaire des noms de famille bretons, 1995
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales du Finistère, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
