Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or au chev. de gu., acc. de trois alérions de sa.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Carrer family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or au chev. de gu., acc. de trois alérions de sa.”
The Carrer arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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.
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 Carrer has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1663. The name is traditionally linked to the Breton word "karrer," which translates to a cartwright or a maker of carts and wagons. During the seventeenth century, this profession was essential to the local economy because carts were the primary means of transporting agricultural goods across the rugged landscape of western France. Families often adopted surnames based on their specific trade, meaning the early Carrers were likely skilled craftspeople who played a vital role in their rural communities. By settling in Brittany, these ancestors became part of a distinct cultural history defined by strong maritime traditions and a unique linguistic heritage that has persisted for centuries.
Latin term for a wheeled vehicle or cart.
