A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cavallin family of France.
lionCourage, strength and royaltyJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or au lion de sa., arm. et lamp. de gu”
The Cavallin arms were recorded in Comtat-Venaissin, c. 1663.
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 Cavallin 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 Cavallin finds its historical roots in the region of Comtat-Venaissin, a territory in southern France that was under the direct administration of the Papacy for several centuries. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this unique enclave. The name itself is derived from the Old Occitan word for a horse, which suggests that the earliest ancestors may have been involved in occupations related to animal husbandry, transport, or cavalry service. Living in Comtat-Venaissin during the seventeenth century meant that the family existed at a cultural crossroads where French, Italian, and papal influences blended together. As the family grew, they likely navigated the complex social structures of this papal state, which functioned differently from the rest of the French kingdom due to its direct ties to Rome. This early presence in the region marks the family as part of a long-standing tradition of residents who thrived in the fertile lands near the Rhône River.
A Latin term referring to a horse or pack animal.
