Map of France showing where the Corns arms are recorded
The Corns arms were recorded in Berry, c. 1663.
Berry was central French farming country, quiet and long-settled. Its estates were modest and stayed in the same hands for centuries, and steady landholding of that kind is exactly what puts a name into the heraldic records.
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 Corns 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 Berry.
Origin & History of the Corns Family in France
The family name Corns is rooted in the English landscape, with historical documentation confirming that members of the family were established in the parish of Berry in 1663. During the seventeenth century, surnames often evolved from occupations, locations, or personal nicknames, and the name Corns likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a field of grain or perhaps worked as a merchant in the corn trade. In the rural society of the 1600s, families were frequently tied to specific geographic regions for generations, and the presence of the Corns family in Berry suggests they were part of a stable local community. As the family grew, they contributed to the social and economic fabric of their parish through agriculture and local trade. By tracing these early records, we see a family that helped shape the identity of their home village during a period of significant change in English history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cornu
Derived from the Latin word for horn or a protruding point.
This name
CornsA topographic name for someone living near a horn-shaped piece of land or a projecting spur.
also spelled
Couran
Courance
Couranz
Kooran
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Parish of Berry, Berry Parish Register of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1663
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Devon Archives and Local Studies Service, Parish Records of Berry Pomeroy, 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
