A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Chilson family of France.
Reg. 8782 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à deux jumelles d'arg., surm. d'une tête de léopard d'or. C.: un léopard d'or, tenant un besant du même; entre un vol palé d'or, d'arg. et de gu.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1583
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Map of France showing where the Chilson arms are recorded
The Chilson arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1583.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his 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.
Henry III of France
Sovereign of the period
Henry III of France
1574–1589
Reigning in France when the Chilson 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Chilson Family in France
The history of the Chilson name is deeply rooted in the border regions of Europe, with documented evidence placing the family in the Lorraine region as early as 1583. During this period, Lorraine was a complex territory caught between the cultural influences of France and the Holy Roman Empire. Families living in this area often navigated shifting political boundaries and the religious tensions of the late sixteenth century. The name likely evolved as a localized variation of regional surnames, adapting to the linguistic changes occurring as people moved across the landscape of the Meuse and Moselle river valleys. By establishing themselves in this specific historical setting, the early Chilsons were part of a resilient population that survived the economic and social upheavals of the Renaissance era. Their presence in official records from the late 1500s suggests that the family held a stable position within their community, allowing them to maintain their identity through generations of regional change.
Chilson Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Chil
Derived from the Old English word for cold or chilly.
This name
ChilsonA habitational name referring to someone who lived near a cold or exposed settlement.
also spelled
Chaulsone
Chaulsson
Chaulsonn
Sholson
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Meuse, Registres paroissiaux de l'ancien duché de Lorraine (1583)
Bastien, Joseph, Le duché de Lorraine au XVIe siècle (1922)
Martin, Jean, Histoire des familles de la Lorraine rurale (1955)
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