Map of France showing where the Bokan arms are recorded
The Bokan arms were recorded in Artois, c. 1663.
Artois lay on the disputed ground between France and the Low Countries and was fought over for centuries. Families there held their land under arms, and a shield was how a fighting household was known.
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 Bokan 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 Artois.
Origin & History of the Bokan Family in France
The history of the Bokan family name is rooted in the northern region of France known as Artois. Records confirm that members of the family were established in this area by 1663. During the seventeenth century, Artois was a region defined by its strategic location and its transition between Spanish and French control. Families living there often worked in agriculture or local trade to support the growing towns. The name likely evolved from regional dialects spoken in the borderlands between France and the Low Countries. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric of Artois, contributing to the daily life and economy of the province during a period of significant political change.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bouc
A male goat or billy goat.
This name
BokanA nickname for a person with goat-like traits or a keeper of goats.
also spelled
Beaucant
Bokan
Bocamp
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Pas-de-Calais, Série B (Archives de la gouvernance d'Artois)
Gauvard, Claude, La France au Moyen Âge du Ve au XVe siècle, 1996
Lottin, Alain, Histoire des provinces françaises du Nord, 1989
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fretPersuasion, and the net that holds
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fretPersuasion, and the net that holds
