Map of France showing where the Chiera arms are recorded
The Chiera arms were recorded in Anjou, c. 1663.
Anjou was rich valley country along the Loire, with a dense scatter of small manors. Its gentry were numerous rather than wealthy, and even a modest holding was enough to justify a shield of one's own.
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 Chiera 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 Anjou.
Origin & History of the Chiera Family in France
The family name Chiera has deep roots tied to the historical region of Anjou in western France. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established within this area. During the seventeenth century, Anjou was a center of agricultural prosperity and trade, which likely shaped the daily lives of those living there. The name itself is thought to have evolved from local linguistic patterns common to the Loire Valley during the transition from Middle to Modern French. Families in this region often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they worked as skilled laborers or landowners. Over time, the Chiera name became a permanent marker of their presence in the French countryside, linking the family to the social and economic development of the Anjou province long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Carus
Latin term meaning dear, beloved, or precious.
This name
ChieraA locative or occupational surname derived from the concept of being cherished or dear.
also spelled
Kahier
Kaier
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de Maine-et-Loire, Série B: Cours et juridictions
Port, Célestin, Dictionnaire historique, géographique et biographique de Maine-et-Loire et de l'ancienne province d'Anjou, 1874
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
lionCourage, strength and royalty
