A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the chef family of France.
Reg. 6937 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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., ch. d'un lion iss. d'arg., arm. et lamp. d'or, l'épaule ch. d'une mâcle de sa.”
Francec. 1725
Where the chef Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the chef arms are recorded
The chef arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the chef 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 chef Family in France
The family name Chef finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of Bretagne, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1725. In the French language, the word chef translates to head or leader, often serving as a descriptive nickname for a person who held a position of authority within their local community or served as a village elder. During the eighteenth century, many surnames in this region were derived from such titles or roles to help distinguish individuals in growing rural populations. As these families settled into the coastal and inland areas of Brittany, the name became a permanent identifier passed down through generations. By maintaining their presence in the region throughout the 1700s, the early members of the Chef family became part of the long-standing social fabric of western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
caput
Latin term meaning head or leader.
This name
chefOccupational surname for a head cook or a person in charge of a kitchen.
also spelled
cheff
Shef
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales du Finistère, Collection de l'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
