A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cornu family of France.
Reg. 2434 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à un massacre de cerf de gu., surm. d'une aigle ép. de sa.”
ArtoisArtois, c. 1663
Where the Cornu Arms Were Recorded
Artois
Map of France showing where the Cornu arms are recorded
The Cornu arms were recorded in Artois, c. 1663.
Artois lay on the disputed ground between France and the Low Countries and was fought over for centuries. Families there held their land under arms, and a shield was how a fighting household was known.
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 Cornu 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 Artois.
Origin & History of the Cornu Family in France
The surname Cornu originates from the French word for horn, which likely served as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor who worked with animal horns or possessed a physical trait that reminded others of the object. By the year 1663, historical records confirm that members of the family were firmly established in the province of Artois. This region, located in northern France, was a crossroads of culture and trade during the seventeenth century. Families living in Artois at this time often faced the challenges of frequent border conflicts and shifting political loyalties between the French crown and the Spanish Netherlands. As residents of this area, the early Cornu family members were likely involved in the agricultural or artisanal traditions that defined the local economy of the region. Over time, the name spread from these rural roots into broader French society, maintaining its link to the linguistic heritage of northern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cornu
Derived from the Latin word cornu meaning horn.
This name
CornuA topographic name for someone living on a horn-shaped piece of land or a nickname for a cuckold.
also spelled
Cornue
Cornut
Cornus
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
Archives départementales du Pas-de-Calais, Série B: Cours et juridictions, 1663
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.
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
