Map of France showing where the Chau arms are recorded
The Chau arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
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 Chau 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 France.
Origin & History of the Chau Family in France
The family name Chau has deep roots in the historical region of Brittany, France, where members of the family were documented as early as 1663. During this period, Brittany was a distinct province with its own unique customs and strong ties to the sea. Families living in this region often derived their surnames from local geography, specific occupations, or nicknames that described a person’s character. The name Chau likely emerged as a shortened form of longer regional names or as a phonetic variation of local Breton terms. By the mid-seventeenth century, the family was well-established within the rural and coastal communities of the area. These early ancestors were part of a society that relied heavily on agriculture and maritime trade, which shaped the way the family grew and moved across the province over the following generations.
Chau Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Calvus
Latin term meaning bald or hairless.
This name
ChauA topographic or descriptive surname historically used to identify someone who was bald.
also spelled
Chau
Sho de la de Montoban
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Gautier, Alain, Histoire de la Bretagne, 2010
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
ermineDignity and rank
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
ermineDignity and rank
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
