A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Canville family of France.
Reg. 5167 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à trois léopards d'or, arm. et lamp. de gu., l'un sur l'autre.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Canville Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Canville arms are recorded
The Canville 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 Canville 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 Canville Family in France
The family name Canville originates from the historic region of Normandy in northern France. 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 development. The name itself is likely locative, meaning it was originally used to identify people who came from a specific village or estate known as Canville. During the seventeenth century, families in this part of France often lived in close-knit rural communities centered around parish churches and local landholdings. Life for the Canville family at this time would have been deeply connected to the seasonal rhythms of farming and the local customs of the Norman countryside. As the family grew, their presence in the region became a part of the long history of Normandy, reflecting the traditions and daily experiences of the people who inhabited the French provinces during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Caneville
A settlement or estate belonging to a person named Cana.
This name
CanvilleDerived from a locative surname referring to a specific village or manor in Normandy.
also spelled
Canvil
Kanville
Canvill
Kanvil
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
Beaurepaire, Charles de, Dictionnaire topographique du département de la Seine-Inférieure, 1882
Le Cacheux, Paul, Essai sur l'histoire de la Normandie, 1930
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
