A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Caumont family of France.
Reg. 8849 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. semé de croix recr. au pied fiché d'or; à trois molettes du même, br. sur le tout.”
PonthieuPonthieu, c. 1663
Where the Caumont Arms Were Recorded
Ponthieu
Map of France showing where the Caumont arms are recorded
The Caumont arms were recorded in Ponthieu, c. 1663.
Ponthieu was small coastal country in northern France, on the road armies took between the Channel and Paris. Its families held land in return for service, and men who served carried shields.
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 Caumont 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 Ponthieu.
Origin & History of the Caumont Family in France
The name Caumont originates from the French language and is a geographical surname, meaning it was likely taken from a specific place rather than a family trade. The name itself is a combination of the words "calvus," meaning bald or bare, and "mons," meaning mountain or hill. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name lived near a prominent, treeless hill or a bare rocky outcrop. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Caumont family were well-established in the region of Ponthieu, located in northern France. During this period, families in rural areas often identified themselves by the landscape features surrounding their homes, which helped local officials and neighbors distinguish them from others in the community. This connection to the land remained a central part of their identity as they moved through the social and political changes of the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
calvus mons
Latin for bald or bare mountain.
This name
CaumontRefers to a person who lived near a treeless or barren hill.
also spelled
Kaumont
Caumonte
Caumon
Comon
Komon
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Archives départementales de la Somme, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la province de Ponthieu, 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
