Map of France showing where the Couple arms are recorded
The Couple arms were recorded in Maine, c. 1663.
Maine was quiet farming country in western France, held in small manors by families who stayed for generations. Nothing about it was grand, but steady landholding is exactly what puts a name in the registers.
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 Couple 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 Maine.
Origin & History of the Couple Family in France
The history of the Couple family in North America begins in the mid-seventeenth century, specifically with records placing family members in the coastal region of Maine by 1663. During this period, Maine was a rugged frontier characterized by small fishing outposts and timber settlements rather than large cities. Families like the Couples were likely drawn to the area by the abundance of natural resources and the opportunity to establish independent homesteads along the Atlantic shoreline. Life in these early settlements required great resilience, as the families had to navigate harsh winters and the complexities of colonial governance under the Massachusetts Bay Colony. By establishing themselves in Maine so early, the Couple family became part of the foundational generation that helped shape the development of the northern New England frontier.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Copula
Latin term meaning a bond, connection, or link.
This name
CoupleRefers to a person who acted as a link or a joiner between people.
also spelled
Coupele
Couppelle
Coupell
Koopel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Banks, Charles Edward, History of York, Maine, 1931
Maine State Archives, York Deeds, 1642–1737
Noyes, Sybil, Libby, Charles Thornton, and Davis, Walter Goodwin, Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, 1928–1939
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
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
