A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bourdeaux family of France.
Reg. 1932 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à la fasce d'or, ch. d'une fasce ondée d'arg. et acc. en chef d'un soleil d'or.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Bourdeaux Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bourdeaux arms are recorded
The Bourdeaux 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 Bourdeaux 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 Bourdeaux Family in France
The family name Bourdeaux originates from the French language and is a locative surname, meaning it was historically used to identify people who came from a specific place. While the name is famously associated with the city of Bordeaux in the southwestern region of France, branches of the family established themselves in the northern province of Bretagne by the mid-seventeenth century. Records confirm that members of the family were living in this region as early as 1663, likely drawn there by the shifting economic opportunities and social movements of the time. During this period, families often moved across provincial borders to work in agriculture or trade, carrying their place-based surnames with them as a way to maintain a connection to their ancestral origins. As these individuals settled into the local communities of Bretagne, the name became a permanent fixture of their new home, marking the transition of the family from travelers into established regional residents.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Burdigala
A Celtic or Aquitanian term for a marshy settlement or harbor.
This name
BourdeauxRefers to a person who originated from the city of Bordeaux in southwestern France.
also spelled
Bourdeau
Burdo
Burdeaux
Related arms
Bourdeauvariant spelling
Bourdeau de Fontenayvariant spelling
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
Morvan, Françoise, Bretagne est l'univers, 2001
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
