A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bret family of France.
Reg. 0728 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
ErmineMeans: Dignity
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'herm. à un pommier de sa. jetant deux branches, celle de dextre feuillée et fruitée d'or, celle de sen. feuillée et fruitée d'arg.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Bret Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bret arms are recorded
The Bret arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Bret 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Bret Family in France
The family name Bret originates from the historical region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established within this province. The name itself is an ancient descriptor, as it was historically used to identify people who were of Breton origin or who spoke the Breton language. During the seventeenth century, families in this region often lived in close-knit rural communities where they worked as farmers or local tradespeople. Because the name is tied directly to the geography and culture of the area, it reflects a deep connection to the land and the distinct heritage of the Breton people. Over many generations, the family name served as a way to mark their identity and their place within the social structure of early modern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Brittus
A Latin term referring to a person from Britain or Brittany.
This name
BretAn ethnic surname originally used to identify someone who migrated from Brittany or Britain.
also spelled
Brett
Brete
Bre
Related arms
Defermonsimilar arms
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
Morvan, Françoise. Bretagne est une province. 2007
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treeLife, endurance and deep roots
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
