Map of France showing where the Corbell arms are recorded
The Corbell arms were recorded in Ile-de-France, c. 1663.
Ile-de-France is the country around Paris, and proximity to the court mattered. Families who served the crown were rewarded with land near it, and land near the capital carried arms almost as a matter of course.
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 Corbell 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 Ile-de-France.
Origin & History of the Corbell Family in France
The family name Corbell traces its roots to the historic region of Île-de-France, where members of the family were firmly established by the year 1663. During the seventeenth century, this area served as the political and cultural heart of France, surrounding the city of Paris. Families living in this region often derived their surnames from specific geographic locations or local landmarks, and the name Corbell likely reflects an association with the ancient town of Corbeil, situated along the banks of the Seine River. As the family settled into the rural and growing urban landscapes of the province, they participated in the typical life of the era, which was defined by agricultural work, local trade, and the administrative shifts of the French monarchy. By maintaining a presence in this central region during the reign of Louis XIV, the early Corbell family lived through a period of immense social change and centralization that shaped the identity of many families in the French heartland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
corvus
Latin term referring to a raven or crow.
This name
CorbellA topographic name for someone living near a place frequented by ravens or a nickname for a dark-haired person.
also spelled
Corbeyl
Korbay
Corbell
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives nationales de France, Minutier central des notaires de Paris
Fichier Origine, Fédération des sociétés de généalogie du Québec
Jetté, René, Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec, 1983
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
