A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brocard family of France.
Reg. 1245 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à trois brocards (cerfs) d'or.”
BourgogneBourgogne, c. 1663
Where the Brocard Arms Were Recorded
Bourgogne
Map of France showing where the Brocard arms are recorded
The Brocard arms were recorded in Bourgogne, c. 1663.
Bourgogne was one of the richest parts of France, built on wine, wool and the roads that carried both. Wealth of that kind bought land, and land brought arms, so the region filled with armed families earlier than most of the country.
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 Brocard 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 Bourgogne.
Origin & History of the Brocard Family in France
The surname Brocard has deep roots in the Burgundy region of France, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1663. The name is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname, likely derived from the Old French word "brocart," which referred to a young stag or a specific type of patterned fabric. In the social structure of seventeenth-century Bourgogne, families with this name were often associated with the local agricultural and merchant classes who helped shape the rural economy of the province. As the family grew, they became integrated into the local parish life, appearing frequently in regional registers that tracked births, marriages, and property ownership. By settling in this fertile area, the early Brocards established a lasting presence that allowed the name to persist through generations of French history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
broc
Old French term for a deer or a pointed tool.
This name
BrocardA topographic or occupational name referring to a deer hunter or a maker of pointed implements.
also spelled
Brokart
Broccard
Brocarde
Brokar
Related arms
Brocartvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Côte-d'Or, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Albert Dauzat, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Marie-Thérèse Morlet, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
