Map of France showing where the Cabrita arms are recorded
The Cabrita 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 Cabrita 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 Cabrita Family in France
The surname Cabrita is primarily rooted in the Iberian Peninsula, where it evolved from the Portuguese and Spanish word for a young female goat. Historically, names derived from animals were often used as descriptive nicknames for individuals who worked as shepherds or lived in rural areas known for goat farming. By the early 18th century, the family had expanded beyond its Mediterranean origins, with documented records confirming their presence in the Brittany region of France by 1725. This migration suggests that members of the family were likely involved in the active trade networks or maritime industries that connected the Atlantic coast of Europe during that era. As these individuals settled into new communities, they maintained their distinct surname, which served as a lasting link to their ancestral roots in southern Europe while they adapted to the cultural landscape of northern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Capra
Latin term for a female goat.
This name
CabritaDerived from a nickname for a goat herder or someone with goat-like traits.
also spelled
Cabrette
Kabreta
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Registos paroquiais
Machado, José Pedro, Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa, 1981
Pimpão, Álvaro Júlio da Costa, Estudos de Filologia Portuguesa, 1956
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
cross symbolChristian faith and service
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
