Map of France showing where the Cornes arms are recorded
The Cornes 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 Cornes 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 Cornes Family in France
The family name Cornes is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Brittany, a region in northwestern France where members of the family were documented as early as 1663. The name likely originated as a descriptive term, potentially referring to individuals who lived near a prominent horn-shaped piece of land or those who worked as horn-makers during the medieval period. In the context of seventeenth-century Brittany, families often lived in small, tight-knit rural parishes where their identities were closely tied to the local land and specific trades. As the family established their presence in this coastal province, they became part of a unique cultural tradition that blended Breton heritage with the broader administrative changes occurring under the French monarchy. Over time, the name persisted through generations, reflecting the resilience of families who maintained their ties to the Breton countryside despite the shifting social and political tides of early modern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
cornu
Latin term meaning horn or a projection of land.
This name
CornesA topographic name for someone who lived near a horn-shaped piece of land or a corner.
also spelled
Cornese
Cornes
Corness
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
