A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bourdin family of France.
Reg. 7560 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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 tête de daim d'or, adextrée d'un bourg d'arg.; à une fasce d'arg. haussée dans l'écu, ch de trois arbres de sin. et sommée de trois roses d'arg.”
LyonnaisLyonnais, c. 1663
Where the Bourdin Arms Were Recorded
Lyonnais
Map of France showing where the Bourdin arms are recorded
The Bourdin 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 Bourdin 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 Bourdin Family in France
The surname Bourdin traces its roots to the historic province of Lyonnais, where the family established a documented presence by 1663. The name is derived from the Old French word "bourde," which historically referred to a small farm or a humble dwelling. This suggests that the earliest members of the family were likely rural landowners or farmers who lived and worked in the fertile countryside surrounding the city of Lyon. During the seventeenth century, families in this region were deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the growing influence of the nearby urban trade centers. As the family grew, they integrated into the social fabric of the Lyonnais region, participating in the local parish life and community affairs that defined life in provincial France during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bourd
Derived from the Old French word for a small farm or village.
This name
BourdinA topographic name for someone who lived on or worked at a small farmstead.
also spelled
Bourdyne
Burden
Burdin
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
Moréri, Louis. Le Grand Dictionnaire historique, ou le mélange curieux de l'histoire sacrée et profane. 1759
Archives départementales du Rhône, Série B: Cours et juridictions
Archives municipales de Lyon, État civil et registres paroissiaux
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
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
