A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bourgault family of France.
Reg. 3471 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 deux tours au nat., posées sur une terrasse de sa.”
MaineMaine, c. 1663
Where the Bourgault Arms Were Recorded
Maine
Map of France showing where the Bourgault arms are recorded
The Bourgault arms were recorded in Maine, c. 1663.
Maine was quiet farming country in western France, held in small manors by families who stayed for generations. Nothing about it was grand, but steady landholding is exactly what puts a name in the registers.
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 Bourgault 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 Maine.
Origin & History of the Bourgault Family in France
The family name Bourgault finds its roots in the French regions of Normandy and Brittany, where it likely served as a descriptive term for people living near a fortified town or a small castle. By the mid-seventeenth century, members of the family began crossing the Atlantic to participate in the colonization of North America. Historical records confirm that individuals bearing the name were present in the Maine region as early as 1663, during a time when the area was a contested frontier between French and English interests. These early settlers were often involved in the fur trade or seasonal fishing industries that defined the coastal economy of the era. As they moved through the Saint Lawrence River valley and the surrounding territories, the Bourgault family became part of the foundational population that helped establish permanent French-speaking communities in the New World.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
burg
A fortified place, castle, or town.
This name
BourgaultA diminutive form referring to someone who lived near or worked at a small fortified settlement.
also spelled
Bourgaud
Burgo
Burgault
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Jetté, René, Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec, 1983
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, Registres de l'état civil du Québec
Library and Archives Canada, Recensement de 1666 en Nouvelle-France
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
