Croc Coat of Arms Record & History

A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Croc family of France.

Reg. 8303 · French, A–C

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Where the Croc Arms Were Recorded

Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Croc arms are recorded

The Croc arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1556.

Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.

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.

Region
Lorraine
First recorded
1556

Granting Authority for the Croc Arms

Arms of Juge d'armes de France
Juge d'armes de France
Authority

Juge d'armes de France

1407-1789

The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.

Portrait of Henry II of France
Henry II of France
Sovereign of the period

Henry II of France

1547–1559

Reigning in France when the Croc 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 Lorraine.

Origin & History of the Croc Family in France

The family name Croc finds its historical roots in the region of Lorraine, where members were documented as early as 1556. During this period, the name was closely tied to the social and economic landscape of northeastern France. The term itself is thought to be derived from old linguistic roots meaning a hook or a curved object, which often served as a descriptive nickname for a person with a distinct physical feature or perhaps a specific trade tool. As the family established themselves in Lorraine, they became part of the local fabric during a time of significant religious and political transition in Europe. By settling in this border region, the early Croc family members navigated the complex shifts between French and Germanic influences that defined the area for centuries. Their presence in official records from the mid-sixteenth century suggests they were integrated into the local community, likely participating in the agricultural or artisanal life that sustained the villages of the Lorraine province.

Related Branches & Arms

Root word
croc

Old French term referring to a hook or a curved object.

This name
CrocA nickname for a person with a hooked nose or a curved physical feature.
also spelled
Kroc
Krok

Documented Sources

J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87

Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Série B: Cours et juridictions

Bastien, Michel, Histoire de la Lorraine, 1998

Lepage, Henri, Les communes de la Meurthe: journal historique des villes, bourgs, villages, hameaux et censes de ce département, 1853

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