Map of France showing where the Cavaness arms are recorded
The Cavaness arms were recorded in Forez, c. 1663.
Forez was a small upland county in central France, thick with minor gentry holding modest estates. Its families were more numerous than wealthy, and even a small holding was enough for a shield of one's 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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Cavaness 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 Forez.
Origin & History of the Cavaness Family in France
The family name Cavaness finds its historical roots in the region of Forez, located in the central part of France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established in this area. During the seventeenth century, Forez was a landscape defined by its rolling hills and a strong connection to the local land. Families like the Cavaness often lived in small rural communities where their daily lives revolved around agriculture and local trade. Because the region was somewhat isolated by its geography, families often stayed in the same districts for many generations. This stability allowed the name to persist within the local population as a recognized part of the community. The presence of the family in Forez during this era suggests they were part of the hardworking provincial society that helped shape the rural identity of central France before the major political changes of the following century.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à un compas d'or, ouvert en chev., acc. de trois étoiles (5) du même.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
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Map of Switzerland showing where the Cavaness arms are recorded
The Cavaness arms were recorded in Switzerland, c. 1745.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bern.
Bern was the largest of the Swiss cantons and ran itself, with its own council and its own courts. Its governing families held office for generations, and office of that kind carried a shield with it.
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 Switzerland in this period.
How Arms Worked in Switzerland
In Switzerland, coats of arms were not restricted to the nobility and were often adopted by common citizens and families. These symbols were passed down through generations to show family identity. When branches of a family grew, they often changed small details of the design to distinguish their own line from the original group.
Granting authority
Cantonal and civic authorities managed the use of coats of arms within their specific regions and local jurisdictions.
How they got arms
Families typically assumed their own coats of arms based on local custom rather than receiving them from a central monarch.
Where arms were recorded
Arms were recorded in various cantonal and civic registers starting from the fourteenth century throughout the Swiss region.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Switzerland.
Origin & History of the Cavaness Family in Switzerland
The history of the Cavaness name in Switzerland is deeply tied to the social and political landscape of the Bern canton during the mid-eighteenth century. Records confirm that family members were established residents of Bern by 1745, a time when the city functioned as a powerful independent republic. During this era, families in Bern were often categorized by their trade guilds and their standing within the local parish registers. The name likely evolved as a localized variation of regional surnames common to the German-speaking territories of the Swiss Confederation. Living in Bern meant that these early ancestors were part of a highly organized urban society that placed great importance on record-keeping, citizenship, and community duty. By settling in this region, the family became part of a long tradition of Swiss craftsmanship and civic participation that defined life in the city during the Enlightenment.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cavannus
A Latinized form derived from the Gaulish word for hollow or cave.
This name
CavanessRefers to a person who lived in or near a hollow, cave, or valley.
also spelled
Chavane
Chavann
Shavan
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Loire, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil du Forez, 1663
Fournier, Gabriel, Les villages de la France médiévale, 1970
Gonon, Marguerite, La vie quotidienne en Forez au XVIIe siècle, 1960
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
