A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bresse family of France.
Reg. 6224 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
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)
“D'arg. à la bande d'azur, acc. de deux lions du même.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Bresse Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bresse arms are recorded
The Bresse 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 Bresse 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 Bresse Family in France
The family name Bresse traces its roots to the historic region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this coastal territory. The name likely originated as a topographic descriptor, referring to individuals who lived near specific types of marshy or low-lying land, which was common in the local dialect of the era. During the seventeenth century, families in this region were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the maritime culture of the Atlantic coast. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of rural Bretagne, participating in the parish life and community traditions that defined the province before the major political shifts of the following centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Brixia
A Celtic term referring to a high place or fortified hill.
This name
BresseA topographic name for someone who lived in the Bresse region of eastern France.
also spelled
Bresse
Bresseportier
Bres di Portie
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
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1992
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1905
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lionCourage, strength and royalty
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lionCourage, strength and royalty
