A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bonnel family of France.
Reg. 7243 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“De gu. au chev. d'arg., acc. en chef de deux étoiles d'or et en p. d'un croiss. du sec.”
LyonnaisLyonnais, c. 1663
Where the Bonnel Arms Were Recorded
Lyonnais
Map of France showing where the Bonnel arms are recorded
The Bonnel arms were recorded in Lyonnais, c. 1663.
Lyonnais centred on Lyon, one of the great banking and silk towns of France. Money made in the city bought estates in the countryside around it, and those estates brought arms with them.
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 Bonnel 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 Lyonnais.
Origin & History of the Bonnel Family in France
The family name Bonnel traces its roots to the historic Lyonnais region of France, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1663. The name is believed to be a variation of the Old French word bon, meaning good, and it likely served as a descriptive nickname for a person with a kind or pleasant temperament. During the seventeenth century, families in this area were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the growing silk trade that defined the city of Lyon. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the region, participating in the parish life and local commerce that characterized rural and urban life in southeastern France. By settling in the Lyonnais, the early members of the Bonnel family helped establish a lineage that would persist through generations of French history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bonus
Latin term meaning good or virtuous.
This name
BonnelA diminutive form indicating a good or kind person.
also spelled
Bonelle
Bonnell
Bonel
Related arms
Aubertsimilar arms
Knyff (de) - Anvers, Bruxellessimilar arms
Quervainssimilar arms
Stercksimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Rhône, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la commune de Lyon, 1663
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
