A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bruny family of France.
Reg. 7735 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
branchPeace, and new growth
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'azur au croiss. tourné d'arg.; au 2 d'arg. à la barre d'azur, ch. de trois étoiles du champ, acc. à dextre d'une branche d'olivier de sin. et en p. d'un coq cont. de sa., senestré d'une lance en pal, du même, mouv. de la p. de l'écu.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Bruny Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bruny arms are recorded
The Bruny arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Bruny 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 Bruny Family in France
The family name Bruny has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living by 1725. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname derived from the Old French word brun, which refers to a brown or dark complexion. In the social structure of eighteenth-century Bretagne, families often settled in specific rural parishes where they worked as farmers or artisans. Because the region maintained a distinct cultural identity and language, the name evolved alongside local customs and traditions. Over the generations, the Bruny family became part of the local fabric of the province, contributing to the agricultural and social life of their community long before the major political shifts of the French Revolution changed the landscape of the country.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
brun
A Germanic term referring to the color brown or dark.
This name
BrunyA descriptive nickname for someone with brown hair or a dark complexion.
also spelled
Brunie
Bruney
Bruni
Brunee
Related arms
Brunivariant spelling
Brunievariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Série E (État civil et registres paroissiaux)
Archives départementales du Finistère, Série 5 MI (Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil)
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, 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.
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
branchPeace, and new growth
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
branchPeace, and new growth
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
