A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Corday family of France.
lionCourage, strength and royaltyJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. au lion de gu.”
The Corday 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.
Reigning in France when the Corday arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Corday finds its deep roots in the historical region of Normandy, France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this northern province. The name is often associated with the local geography and the rural traditions of the French countryside. During this period, the family lived as members of the minor nobility or landed gentry, which allowed them to maintain a consistent presence in local government and regional land management. Their history is closely tied to the development of Norman society, where families of similar status often served as local administrators or landowners. This stability allowed the Corday name to persist through generations as they integrated into the social fabric of the region long before the name gained wider recognition in later centuries.
Latin term referring to a rope or cord.
