Map of France showing where the Calvé arms are recorded
The Calvé 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 Calvé 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 Calvé Family in France
The surname Calvé finds its roots in the rugged landscape of Brittany, where the family was firmly established by the year 1663. The name is believed to be a variation of the Old French word "calve," which was often used as a descriptive nickname for a person with a bald head or a shaved tonsure. During the seventeenth century, families in this region were deeply connected to the local parish system, and the name appears frequently in regional baptismal and marriage registers. Life for the Calvé family at this time was centered around the agricultural traditions of the Breton countryside, where they lived as part of a close-knit community. As the family grew, they became a permanent fixture of the local social fabric, leaving behind a trail of records that document their daily lives, religious affiliations, and contributions to the development of their home province.
Calvé Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Calvus
A Latin term meaning bald or hairless.
This name
CalvéA topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a bare or bald hill.
also spelled
Kalve
Kalvay
Related arms
Calvivariant spelling
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
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
ermineDignity and rank
masclePersuasion and the mail of a knight's coat
ermineDignity and rank
masclePersuasion and the mail of a knight's coat
