Map of France showing where the Cortner arms are recorded
The Cortner arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify a shield.
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 Cortner 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 Poitou.
Origin & History of the Cortner Family in France
The Cortner family name traces its roots to the historic region of Poitou in western France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this area. During the seventeenth century, Poitou was a center for agricultural development and trade, which likely influenced the daily lives and occupations of the early Cortner ancestors. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, navigating the complex political and religious shifts that defined rural French life during the reign of King Louis XIV. Over time, the name evolved alongside the family as they moved through different regions, eventually carrying their history and traditions across borders to new lands.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Court
Derived from the Latin cohors meaning an enclosed yard or courtyard.
This name
CortnerAn occupational name for someone who worked at or lived near a manor house or courtyard.
also spelled
Courtinyer
Kurtinie
Cortinier
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Vienne, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Beauchet-Filleau, Henri, Dictionnaire historique et généalogique des familles du Poitou, 1891
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
