Map of France showing where the Bussière arms are recorded
The Bussière arms were recorded in Limousin, c. 1663.
Limousin was upland farming country in central France, poor in money but full of old families. Estates were small and held for a very long time, and long tenure counted for more than wealth when arms were recorded.
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 Bussière 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 Limousin.
Origin & History of the Bussière Family in France
The surname Bussière originates from the Limousin region of France and is classified as a topographic name. In the local dialect, the term refers to a place where boxwood trees grow, suggesting that the first people to carry this name lived near a thicket or a forest of these specific shrubs. By 1663, records confirm that the family was well-established within this rural landscape, where they likely worked as farmers or landholders tied to the local geography. Because surnames were often adopted based on the immediate surroundings of a family home, the name serves as a direct link to the natural environment of central France. Over time, the family spread from these small village roots, but their identity remained deeply connected to the wooded hillsides of their ancestral home.
Bussière Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Buxus
Latin term for the boxwood evergreen shrub or tree.
This name
BussièreA topographic name for someone who lived near a grove of boxwood trees.
also spelled
Bussier
Bussierre
Buseer
Related arms
Asselin de Villequiersame arms
Belineausame arms
Soulainsame arms
Vignaud (du) de Villefortsame arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales de la Haute-Vienne, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
