A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bontemps family of France.
Reg. 9007 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
wolfReward from long service and hard work
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
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 louve d'arg., allaitant ses petits, acc. en chef d'une fleur-de-lis d'arg.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Bontemps Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bontemps arms are recorded
The Bontemps arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
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 Bontemps 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 France.
Origin & History of the Bontemps Family in France
The surname Bontemps is a classic example of a descriptive nickname that eventually became a permanent family name. In the French language, the name literally translates to "good weather" or "good times," and it was likely bestowed upon an ancestor who possessed a cheerful, optimistic, or easygoing personality. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Bontemps family were firmly established in the region of Bretagne. During this period, families in rural France often lived in close-knit agricultural communities where a person’s reputation defined their identity. Because the name carries such a positive meaning, it suggests that the original bearers were well-regarded neighbors who brought a sense of joy or stability to their local village life. Over the following generations, this name was passed down through the family line, serving as a lasting reminder of the character traits that first distinguished their ancestors in western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
bon temps
good time or favorable weather
This name
Bontempsa nickname for a cheerful person or one who enjoys a pleasant life
also spelled
Bontem
Bontom
Bontemp
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de Bretagne, 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
wolfReward from long service and hard work
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
wolfReward from long service and hard work
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
