Map of France showing where the Cote arms are recorded
The Cote arms were recorded in Guyenne, c. 1663.
Guyenne was the great wine country of south-western France, shipping claret to England for centuries. The trade made merchant families rich, they bought vineyards and estates with the money, and land of that kind brought arms with it.
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 Cote 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 Guyenne.
Origin & History of the Cote Family in France
The surname Cote has deep roots in the historical province of Guyenne in southwestern France. By the mid-seventeenth century, families bearing this name were well-established in the region before some members began their journey to the New World. The name itself is derived from the Old French word "cote," which originally referred to a small dwelling or a hillside slope where a person might live. Because many people in medieval France were identified by their physical surroundings, the name likely emerged as a way to describe a family that lived near a specific landmark or a modest farmstead. As these individuals moved through the social landscape of 1663, they carried this geographic identifier with them, eventually cementing it as a permanent family name that traveled across the Atlantic to become a prominent part of colonial history.
Cote Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
costa
Latin term referring to a rib, side, or slope of land.
This name
CoteA topographic name for someone who lived on a hillside or riverbank.
also spelled
Cote
Cottez
Cottis
Kot
Coote
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
Library and Archives Canada. Fonds du Ministère des Colonies, série C11A, Correspondance générale, Canada
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
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
