Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ec.: au 1 d'arg. à un fort de sa., terrassé du même, battu par une mer”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cordia family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ec.: au 1 d'arg. à un fort de sa., terrassé du même, battu par une mer”

The Cordia arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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.
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 Cordia finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of Bretagne, France, where records confirm the presence of the family as early as 1725. During the eighteenth century, this region was defined by a strong maritime culture and a distinct linguistic heritage that shaped the lives of its inhabitants. Families living in Bretagne at this time were often deeply connected to the land and the local parish communities, which served as the primary centers for social and legal life. The name likely evolved as a way to identify specific households within these tight-knit rural or coastal villages. As the family grew, they participated in the traditional trades and agricultural practices that sustained the Breton economy during the pre-revolutionary era. By remaining in this specific province, the early members of the Cordia line helped preserve a legacy that reflects the enduring history of the French Atlantic coast.
Latin term referring to the heart or core of something.
