A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cormier family of France.
Reg. 7618 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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. au chev. d'or, acc. de trois croiss. d'arg.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Cormier Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Cormier arms are recorded
The Cormier arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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.
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 Cormier 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Cormier Family in France
The surname Cormier finds its roots in the ancient French language, derived from the word *corme*, which refers to the fruit of the service tree. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to bear the name likely lived near a prominent tree or within a grove of these plants, a common way for families to identify themselves in medieval times. By 1663, records confirm that members of the Cormier family were well-established in the region of Bretagne. During this era, families in this part of France often worked as skilled laborers or farmers, deeply connected to the land and the local traditions of their coastal province. As the seventeenth century progressed, some of these individuals began to look toward new opportunities across the Atlantic, carrying their family name and heritage into the developing settlements of North America.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cormier
Derived from the Latin word cormus meaning service tree.
This name
CormierA topographic name for someone who lived near a service tree or an orchard.
also spelled
Cormyer
Cormie
Cormyay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France. 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
