Map of France showing where the Clout arms are recorded
The Clout 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 Clout 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 Clout Family in France
The family name Clout has deep roots in the northern regions of France, particularly within the historic province of Normandie. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area, living through a period of significant social and agricultural change. The name itself is thought to be linked to the Old French word clou, which refers to a nail or a metal stud. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name may have been skilled metalworkers or blacksmiths who provided essential hardware for local construction and trade. As these individuals moved through the rural landscapes of Normandie, they helped shape the local communities where their descendants would eventually build their lives. Over time, the family name became a permanent part of the regional identity, reflecting the practical trades and steady labor that defined life in seventeenth-century France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Clou
A metal fastener or nail used in construction.
This name
CloutAn occupational name for a nail maker or a person who worked with iron.
also spelled
Clouey
Klooay
Clouett
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Jetté, René, Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec, 1983
Archives nationales d'outre-mer, Fonds du greffe du Conseil souverain de la Nouvelle-France
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saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
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saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
