Map of France showing where the Cac arms are recorded
The Cac arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Cac 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Cac Family in France
The family name Cac has deep roots in the historical region of Brittany, France, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1663. During the seventeenth century, Brittany was a distinct province with its own unique customs and language, often separating it from the rest of the French kingdom. Families living in this coastal area were frequently involved in maritime trade, agriculture, or local administration within their parishes. The name itself is short and distinct, which suggests it may have originated as a nickname or a shortened form of a longer occupational title common to the rural communities of western France. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, participating in the religious and civil life of their Breton villages through the generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cacus
Derived from the Latin term for a fire-breathing giant or evil.
This name
CacLikely a topographic or occupational nickname referring to a person of ill-repute or a specific local inhabitant.
also spelled
Kace
Casay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cross symbolChristian faith and service
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cross symbolChristian faith and service
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
