A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the de Leo family of France.
Reg. 3967 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
phoenixRebirth, and survival through fire
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Ec.: au 1 parti: a. d'or à une rose de gu., bout. d'or, barbée de sin.; b. d'or à trois fasces de gu.; au 2 de gu. au lion échiq. d'or et de sa., cour. d'or; au 3 coupé d'arg. sur gu., au lion cont. de l'un en l'autre, cour. d'or, soutenu d'un tertre de trois coupeaux de sin.; au 4 parti: a. d'or à trois fasces de gu.; b. d'or à une rose de gu., bout. d'or, barbée de sin. Sur le tout d'azur à un phénix au nat., cour. d'or, s'élevant de flammes au nat., mouvantes du canton sen. de la p., les ailes du phénix abaissées; et trois rayons de soleil d'or, en bandes, mouv. du canton dextre du chef. Trois cq., celui du milieu d'or, et sommé d'une couronne à l'antique du même, les 1 et 3 cour. à l'ordinaire, la couronne du 1er cq. soutenu d'un bourlet de sa., d'or, de gu., d'or et de sa., terminé à dextre en deux rubans flottants, l'un de gu. doublé d'or et l'autre de sa. doublé d'or. C.: 1° un vol cont. de sa., chaque aile ch. d'une fasce d'or, surch. d'une rose de gu., bout. d'or, barbée de sin.; l. d'or et d'azur; 2° un phénix au nat., cour. d'or, les ailes abaissées, iss. de flammes au nat.; l. d'or et d'azur; 3° un écran pentagone aux armes du 2, bordé d'or, chaque angle orné d'une boule d'or sommée d'une plume de paon au nat.; l. d'or et de sa.”
Francec. 1647
Where the de Leo Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the de Leo arms are recorded
The de Leo arms were recorded in France, c. 1647.
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 de Leo 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 de Leo Family in France
The surname de Leo carries a deep connection to the historical landscape of France, with documented roots tracing back to the region of Bretagne by the year 1647. During the seventeenth century, families in this area were often defined by their local landholdings and their roles within the rural community. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term, potentially linked to the Latin word for lion, which was a common way for scribes and officials to identify individuals based on their perceived strength or character. As the family established themselves in the western provinces of France, they became part of the complex social fabric of the era, navigating the shifts in regional governance and the agricultural life that dominated the Breton countryside. Over time, the family name served as a vital link to their ancestral origins, marking their presence in a time of significant cultural development in the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Leo
Latin term for the large predatory feline animal.
This name
de LeoIndicates a person of lion-like strength or a descendant of someone named Leo.
also spelled
Deleone
Deleos
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Série B - Cours et juridictions
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morvan, Françoise, Bretagne est une universalité, 2001
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
phoenixRebirth, and survival through fire
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
