A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bracket family of France.
Reg. 3909 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or au lambel d'azur; au 2 d'arg. plein. C.: un chapeau de tournoi d'arg., entre un vol d'azur. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Bracket Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bracket arms are recorded
The Bracket 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 Bracket 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 Bracket Family in France
The family name Bracket traces its roots back to the coastal region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this historic province. The name likely evolved from local linguistic patterns common to the area, where surnames were often derived from geographical features, occupations, or descriptive nicknames used to identify individuals in small, tight-knit communities. As families in Bretagne lived through periods of significant social and economic change during the seventeenth century, the Bracket name became a marker of their regional heritage. Over time, these early ancestors moved through the local parishes, leaving behind traces of their lives in baptismal and marriage registers that document their presence in the French countryside long before the name spread to other parts of the world.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
brac
Old French term referring to a hunting dog or hound.
This name
BracketA nickname for a person who possessed the qualities of a hunting dog.
also spelled
Brackett
Brackette
Bracke
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales du Finistère, Collection de la série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Ogée, Jean, Dictionnaire historique et géographique de la province de Bretagne, 1778
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
