A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Crays family of France.
Reg. 4864 · French, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à deux fasces d'arg. C.: deux prob., aux armes de l'écu.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Crays Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Crays arms are recorded
The Crays arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Crays 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 Crays Family in France
The history of the Crays family name is deeply rooted in the rugged landscape of the Brittany region of France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established within this coastal province. During this period, Brittany functioned as a distinct cultural area with its own traditions and language. Families living in this region were often tied to the land through farming or maritime trades, which shaped their daily lives and social standing. The name likely evolved from local nicknames or geographic markers used to identify individuals in small, tight-knit rural communities. As these early ancestors moved through the seventeenth century, they contributed to the unique heritage of the Breton people, leaving behind a legacy that links the modern family to the historical development of northwestern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Craie
A French term referring to chalk or limestone deposits.
This name
CraysA topographic name for someone who lived near a chalky area or quarry.
also spelled
Crays
Krays de Lindenfels
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
Archives départementales du Finistère, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
