A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brignac family of France.
Reg. 9293 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. au saut. d'arg.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Brignac Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Brignac arms are recorded
The Brignac 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 Brignac 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 Brignac Family in France
The family name Brignac is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Brittany, a region in northwestern France known for its distinct cultural identity. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Brignac family were well-established within this province. The name itself is classified as a locative surname, which means it likely originated from a specific place or estate bearing the same title. In the linguistic tradition of the region, such names often identified individuals by the lands they cultivated or the villages where they resided. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, participating in the agricultural and community life that defined seventeenth-century Breton society. Their presence in these early records highlights a long-standing connection to the land and the enduring nature of regional family lineages during the early modern period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Brinius
A Gallo-Roman personal name derived from the Latin term for fire.
This name
BrignacRefers to the estate or settlement belonging to a person named Brinius.
also spelled
Brinyak
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Poterie, Michel, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1970
Tanguy, Bernard, Dictionnaire des noms de communes, trèves et paroisses du Finistère, 1990
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
