Capdeville Coat of Arms Record & History

A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Capdeville family of France.

Reg. 0180 · French, A–C

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Symbols on this shield

bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander

saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross

lionCourage, strength and royalty

starThe celestial goddess, and nobility

heartSincerity, charity and true affection

arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured

Colours

Gold (Or)Means: Generosity

Red (Gules)Means: Military strength

Black (Sable)Means: Constancy

Historical info

Source

J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87

Blazon (the actual original written record)

“Ec.: au 1 d'or au lion de gu.; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à la bande d'or, acc. de deux étoiles du même; au 4 d'or au coeur de gu., traversé de trois flèches de sa., ensanglantées du sec., dont deux passées en saut. et la troisième en pal.”

GuyenneGuyenne, c. 1663

Where the Capdeville Arms Were Recorded

Guyenne

Map of France showing where the Capdeville arms are recorded

The Capdeville arms were recorded in Guyenne, c. 1663.

Guyenne was the great wine country of south-western France, shipping claret to England for centuries. The trade made merchant families rich, they bought vineyards and estates with the money, and land of that kind brought arms with it.

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.

Region: Guyenne
First recorded: 1663

Granting Authority for the Capdeville Arms

Authority

Juge d'armes de France

1407-1789

The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.

Sovereign of the period

Louis XIV of France

1643–1715

Reigning in France when the Capdeville 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 Guyenne.

Origin & History of the Capdeville Family in France

The family name Capdeville originates from the Gascon language spoken in the historical province of Guyenne in southwestern France. The name is a topographic surname, which means it was originally used to identify people based on where they lived. It is derived from the words "cap," meaning head or end, and "deville," meaning town or village. This suggests that the earliest members of the family likely lived at the very edge of a settlement or at the entrance to a town. By 1663, records confirm that the family was well-established within the region of Guyenne. During this period, families in rural France were often deeply connected to the land, and their surnames served as a way to distinguish them within their local communities. As the family grew, they remained rooted in the social and agricultural life of the French countryside, carrying a name that described their physical place in the landscape.