Map of France showing where the Buk arms are recorded
The Buk arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1624.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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 XIII of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIII of France
1617–1643
Reigning in France when the Buk 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Buk Family in France
The family name Buk has deep roots in the historical region of Lorraine, where members of the family were documented as early as 1624. During this period, Lorraine served as a complex crossroads between French and Germanic cultures, which often influenced how surnames were recorded and spelled in local parish registers. The name itself is thought to be linked to the Middle High German word for the beech tree, suggesting that the family may have originally lived near a prominent forest or a landmark defined by these trees. As the family established themselves in the region during the seventeenth century, they likely worked as farmers or tradespeople who were deeply connected to the rural landscape. Their presence in the historical records of the era highlights a long tradition of settlement in the borderlands of Eastern France, where families often adapted their names to suit the shifting political and linguistic environment of the time.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Buc
Old French term for a buck or male deer.
This name
BukA topographic name for someone living near a place frequented by deer.
also spelled
Bouk
Buk
Book
Buque
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Meurthe-et-Moselle, Registres paroissiaux de Lorraine
Bastien, Michel, Les noms de famille en Lorraine, 1989
Lepage, Henri, Les communes de la Meurthe: journal historique des villes, bourgs, villages, hameaux et censes, 1853
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
goatOne who wins by diplomacy rather than force
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
goatOne who wins by diplomacy rather than force
