A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Darbouze family of France.
treeLife, endurance and deep rootsJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à un arbouzier de sin.”
The Darbouze arms were recorded in Auvergne, c. 1663.
Auvergne was mountain country in the middle of France, poor in money but thick with old families. Estates were small and held for a very long time, and long tenure counted for more than wealth when it came to 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 France in this period.
Reigning in France when the Darbouze arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Darbouze finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of the Auvergne region in central France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established within this mountainous area. The name is likely topographic in origin, which means it was used to describe the specific location where the family lived or worked. In the local dialect of the time, the prefix "dar" often functioned as a contraction of "de la," meaning "of the." This suggests that the earliest ancestors were identified by their proximity to a particular landmark, such as a specific type of shrub, a rocky outcrop, or a small stream common to the volcanic terrain of the Auvergne. As these individuals moved through their communities, the name became a permanent way to distinguish their lineage from others in the region.
Latin term referring to a tree or woody plant.
