Map of France showing where the Boudreau arms are recorded
The Boudreau arms were recorded in Faucigny, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Boudreau 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 Boudreau Family in France
The Boudreau family name has deep roots in the coastal regions of France, with historical records confirming their presence in the province of Bretagne by the early 18th century. The name itself is thought to be a variation of the Old French word "boudrot," which was often used as a descriptive nickname for a person with a stout or robust build. During the 1700s, many families in this region worked as skilled laborers, farmers, or mariners, living in close-knit communities along the rugged Atlantic shoreline. As the century progressed, the search for new opportunities led many members of the Boudreau family to travel across the ocean to settle in North America. These early pioneers carried their traditions and their name to new lands, helping to shape the cultural landscape of the regions where they eventually established their homes.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Baldric
Derived from the Germanic elements bald meaning bold and ric meaning ruler.
This name
BoudreauA diminutive form indicating a descendant of a bold and powerful ruler.
also spelled
Boudry
Boudree
Boudrieh
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dictionnaire généalogique des familles acadiennes, Stephen A. White, 1999
Les noms de famille de France, Marie-Thérèse Morlet, 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Série B (Archives judiciaires de l'Ancien Régime)
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fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
