A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bordeaux family of France.
Reg. 5740 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
millrind / fer de molineThe mill's iron, and the grinding of grain
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à deux anilles d'arg.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Bordeaux Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bordeaux arms are recorded
The Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux Family in France
The surname Bordeaux traces its origins to the historic region of France, serving as a locative name that identified individuals who hailed from the famous city of Bordeaux in the southwest. While the name is tied to this prominent urban center, historical records confirm that members of the family were firmly established in the province of Bretagne by 1663. During the seventeenth century, families often migrated across French provinces to seek new opportunities in agriculture, trade, or local administration. Those who settled in Bretagne likely integrated into the local society while maintaining the name that signaled their ancestral connection to the southwestern region. This movement reflects the broader patterns of internal migration in early modern France, where individuals carried their regional identities with them as they moved to new communities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Burdigala
An ancient Aquitanian term likely meaning a marshy or muddy settlement.
This name
BordeauxA habitational name referring to someone who originated from the city of Bordeaux.
also spelled
Bordaux
Bordo
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
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millrind / fer de molineThe mill's iron, and the grinding of grain
millrind / fer de molineThe mill's iron, and the grinding of grain
