A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Coventry family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 3317 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
ErmineMeans: Dignity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“d'herm., acc. de trois croiss. d'or. C.: une gerbe d'or, posée en fasce, supp. un coq de gu., crêté, barbé et m. d'or. S.: deux aigles d'or, bq. et m. d'or. D.: CANDIDE ET CONSTANTER.”
Francec. 1628
Where the Coventry Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Coventry arms are recorded
The Coventry arms were recorded in France, c. 1628.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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 XIII of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIII of France
1617–1643
Reigning in France when the Coventry 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 France.
Origin & History of the Coventry Family in France
The history of the Coventry family in France is deeply tied to the coastal region of Bretagne, where records confirm their presence by the year 1628. During this period, the name likely arrived in France through the movement of merchants and travelers crossing the English Channel to trade in busy port cities. Families living in Bretagne often integrated into the local maritime economy, serving as intermediaries between French markets and the British Isles. Because the name is rooted in a specific English geographic location, its appearance in French parish records suggests that these individuals maintained strong ties to their heritage while adapting to the social and religious landscape of western France. By settling in this region, the early Coventry family members became part of a long tradition of cross-cultural exchange that defined the history of the Atlantic coast during the seventeenth century.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Sa. a fesse betw. three crescents ar”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Coventry Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Coventry arms are recorded
The Coventry arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in France when the Coventry arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Coventry Family in England
The family name Coventry is a locative surname, meaning it originated from the city of Coventry in the West Midlands of England. During the medieval period, people often adopted the name of their hometown as a way to identify themselves when they traveled or moved to new regions. By the early seventeenth century, the family had established a presence in the historic city of York, which was a major northern hub for trade and administration. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the family were living in York during this era, likely contributing to the city’s bustling merchant class or local governance. As the family settled in the north, they carried the identity of their ancestral home with them, preserving a linguistic link to their origins in the Midlands while forging a new life in the vibrant social landscape of Yorkshire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Conventus
Latin term for an assembly, meeting, or gathering of people.
This name
CoventryRefers to a person who lived near or originated from a town or convent settlement.
also spelled
Koventree
Coventre
Coventrey
Related arms
Coventrevariant spelling
Coventreyvariant spelling
Basfordrecorded with Coventry, same area
Youngrecorded with Coventry, same area
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Jones, G., The History of the British Diaspora in France, 2005
Le Gall, J., Les réseaux marchands en Bretagne au XVIIe siècle, 1998
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crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
