A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cardé family of France.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominionJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg., au chef d'azur.”
The Cardé 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.
Reigning in France when the Cardé arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Cardé traces its roots to the historic region of Normandy in northern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established in this area. The name is likely linked to the Old French word carde, which refers to a tool used for combing wool or flax. This suggests that early ancestors may have been involved in the textile industry, which was a vital part of the local economy in Normandy during the seventeenth century. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the region, living through a time of significant agricultural and trade development. Many families in this part of France were tied closely to the land and the specific crafts that defined their local villages. Over time, the name became a permanent marker of their heritage and their long connection to the northern French countryside.
Latin term for a thistle or prickly plant.
