Map of France showing where the Boisvert arms are recorded
The Boisvert arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify 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 Boisvert 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 Poitou.
Origin & History of the Boisvert Family in France
The surname Boisvert is a classic example of a descriptive French name, originating from the words "bois" meaning wood and "vert" meaning green. It was likely used as a nickname for someone who lived near a lush, green forest or worked as a woodsman. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family were established in the Poitou region of western France. During this period, the area was a significant source of emigrants who traveled to New France to build new lives. These early settlers brought the name across the Atlantic, where it became firmly rooted in the history of French-speaking North America. The family name reflects a deep connection to the landscape and the rural traditions of the French countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Boscus
A Latin term referring to a wood, forest, or thicket.
This name
BoisvertDerived from the French words for green wood, denoting someone living near a forest.
also spelled
Pugnet-Boisvert
Poonay de Bwavair
Pugnet
Boisvert
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Jetté, René, Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec, 1983
Drouin, Gabriel, Dictionnaire national des Canadiens français 1608-1760, 1975
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, Fonds Ministère de la Culture et des Communications, 1663-1700
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
