A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Conseil family of France.
Reg. 8210 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 gu. à la croix fleurdelisée, acc. en chef à dextre d'une rose et à sen. d'une coquille, le tout d'arg.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Conseil Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Conseil arms are recorded
The Conseil 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 Conseil 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 Conseil Family in France
The surname Conseil finds its deep roots in the historical region of Normandy, France, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1663. The name itself is derived from the Old French word *conseil*, which translates to counsel or advice. During the medieval and early modern periods, such names were often given to individuals who served as trusted advisors to local leaders or who held positions of influence within their village councils. By the mid-17th century, the family was part of the social fabric of the Norman countryside, living through a time of significant agricultural development and regional transition. As the family grew, they became integrated into the local parish life, leaving behind records of their daily existence, marriages, and community contributions that define the early history of the name in northern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Consilium
Latin term meaning deliberation, advice, or a plan.
This name
ConseilA professional or descriptive name for an advisor or a counselor.
also spelled
Conseille
Consay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives nationales de France, Fonds de l'Intendance de Normandie
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
cross symbolChristian faith and service
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
