A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Canny family of France.
Reg. 2859 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à dix los. de gu., accolées et aboutées, 3, 3, 3 et 1. Cri: CROISILLES!”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Canny Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Canny arms are recorded
The Canny arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 Canny 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Canny Family in France
The family name Canny has deep roots in the northern regions of France, specifically within the historic province of Normandie. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area, living through a period of significant social and agricultural change. The name itself is thought to be locational in origin, likely derived from small settlements or villages in the region that shared a similar phonetic structure. Families in 17th-century Normandie were often tied closely to the land, and the Canny name would have been recorded in local parish registers as these individuals participated in baptisms, marriages, and community life. Over time, as families moved for trade or better opportunities, the name spread from its ancestral home in the French countryside to other parts of the world, carrying the history of its Norman origins across generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
canis
Latin term meaning dog or hound.
This name
CannyA topographic name for someone living near a reed bed or a nickname for a cunning person.
also spelled
Cannie
Kanny
Cani
Kany
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille 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.
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
