A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chesnay family of France.
Reg. 6901 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 sa. à trois roses d'arg.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Chesnay Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Chesnay arms are recorded
The Chesnay arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 Chesnay 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Chesnay Family in France
The surname Chesnay originates from the Old French word *chesne*, which means oak tree. In the medieval period, this name was often given to people who lived near a prominent oak forest or a grove of trees. By the mid-17th century, the family was well-established in the historical region of Normandy, France. Records confirm that members of the Chesnay family were living in this area by 1663, a time when many families were deeply connected to the agricultural life of the Norman countryside. As the name spread, it became a way to identify individuals by their relationship to the local landscape. This connection to the land remained a central part of the family identity as they moved through the generations in Northern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Chesne
Old French term for an oak tree derived from Latin cassanos.
This name
ChesnayA topographic name for someone who lived near an oak forest or grove.
also spelled
Chesnai
Chesne
Shenay
Chesney
Related arms
Chesneyvariant 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
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roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
