Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à la fasce fleur. et c.-fleur. de gu. [V. Lanerau comtes de Bréon.]”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bréon family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à la fasce fleur. et c.-fleur. de gu. [V. Lanerau comtes de Bréon.]”
The Bréon arms were recorded in Auvergne, c. 1663.
Auvergne was mountain country in the middle of France, poor in money but thick with old families. Estates were small and held for a very long time, and long tenure counted for more than wealth when it came to arms.
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.
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.
The family name Bréon finds its deep historical roots in the rugged landscape of the Auvergne region in central France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Bréon family were already well-established residents within this mountainous territory. The name itself is thought to be topographic in origin, likely derived from the local dialect to describe individuals who lived near specific landmarks or clearings in the dense forests of the Massif Central. During the seventeenth century, families in this area were often tied closely to the land, working as skilled farmers or craftsmen who contributed to the local economy of the volcanic highlands. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of rural parish life, where their names were meticulously recorded in local church registers that tracked births, marriages, and deaths. These early generations helped define the identity of the region, maintaining a steady presence in Auvergne long before the industrial changes of the modern era.
A Celtic or Germanic term referring to a hill or high place.
