A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chaperon family of France.
Reg. 7277 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à un arbre de sin., et un lévrier courant d'arg., br. sur le pied de l'arbre, le tout soutenu d'une terrasse de sin.; en chef trois étoiles rangées d'arg”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Chaperon Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Chaperon arms are recorded
The Chaperon 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.
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 Chaperon 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Chaperon Family in France
The surname Chaperon originated in France as a descriptive name rooted in the medieval word for a specific type of hooded cloak or head covering. During the Middle Ages, it was common for people to be identified by the clothing they wore or the trade they practiced, and this name likely identified a person who made these garments or frequently wore a distinctive hood. By the mid-seventeenth century, the family was well-established in the region of Bretagne. Records from 1663 confirm their presence in this area, where they lived as part of the local community during a time of significant social and agricultural development in western France. Over the generations, the family integrated into the fabric of Breton life, maintaining their name as a link to their ancestral origins in the craft and culture of the medieval period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
chape
A cloak, cape, or protective head covering.
This name
ChaperonA maker or seller of hoods, or someone who habitually wore a distinctive cloak.
also spelled
Chapperon
Shaperon
Related arms
Chapperonvariant spelling
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
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
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
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
