A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Carel family of France.
Reg. 2659 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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 deux sauvages au nat., tenant un pin de sin., terrassé du même. C.: un sauvage au nat., tenant un pin.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1716
Where the Carel Arms Were Recorded
Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Carel arms are recorded
The Carel arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1716.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Carel 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Carel Family in France
The name Carel is deeply rooted in the historical region of Lorraine, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1716. The name itself is a variation of the ancient Germanic name Charles, which translates to a free man or a person of noble spirit. During the early eighteenth century, families in this part of France often lived in small, tight-knit agricultural communities that were heavily influenced by the shifting borders between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman Empire. Because Lorraine was a crossroads for trade and migration, the Carel family likely integrated into the local culture by working in traditional crafts or managing land. Over time, the name became a permanent fixture in the region, reflecting the resilience of families who maintained their identity through generations of social and political change in eastern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Carolus
Latinized form of the Germanic name Karl meaning free man.
This name
CarelA French diminutive or variant form of Charles, signifying a free man.
also spelled
Carell
Carelle
Carels
Related arms
Carrelvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de Lorraine, 1716
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
knightChivalry and service in arms
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
knightChivalry and service in arms
