A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bureau family of France.
Reg. 5902 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Az. a chev. potent, counter-potent, or and gu. betw. three ewers, with handles, of the second”
Francec. 1663
Where the Bureau Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Bureau arms are recorded
The Bureau arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Bureau 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 Bureau Family in France
The surname Bureau originates from the Old French word *burel*, which referred to a coarse, reddish-brown woolen cloth. During the Middle Ages, this term was often used as a nickname for someone who wore such fabric or perhaps for a merchant who traded in it. By the mid-17th century, the family had established a firm presence in the Brittany region of France. Records confirm that members of the Bureau family were living in this area by 1663, likely working as farmers, artisans, or tradespeople within the local community. As the name became hereditary, it spread across the French countryside, reflecting the common practice of naming families after the materials or professions that defined their daily lives.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Burel
A coarse woolen fabric used for clothing.
This name
BureauRefers to a person who wore or manufactured coarse, dark-colored woolen cloth.
also spelled
Bureaux
Buro
Burrow
Related arms
Burrowvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France. 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
