A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the chev family of France.
Reg. 7101 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“d'azur, ch. sur la cime d'une fleur-de-lis du champ, et acc. de trois têtes de More, tort. d'arg.”
Francec. 1725
Where the chev Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the chev arms are recorded
The chev 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 chev 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 chev Family in France
The family name Chev finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of Bretagne, France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1725. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a shortened form of a longer occupational title common to the rural communities of the region. During the early eighteenth century, families in this area were often deeply connected to the land, working as farmers or local tradespeople within their parish boundaries. Because the region of Bretagne maintained a distinct cultural and linguistic identity, the name Chev evolved alongside the local traditions and social structures of the time. These early ancestors were part of a tight-knit society that relied on parish registers to track births, marriages, and deaths, which helped preserve the family identity across generations. By settling in this specific part of France, the Chev family became part of the long history of a region known for its strong sense of community and regional heritage.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
cheval
A horse derived from the Latin word caballus.
This name
chevAn occupational name for a horseman, knight, or someone who worked with horses.
also spelled
Cheff
Shev
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 la série E, État civil
Gautier, Hervé, Dictionnaire des noms de famille de Bretagne, 1993
Tanguy, Bernard, Les noms de lieux bretons, 1975
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
