A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Delmas family of France.
Reg. 2089 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à la croix ancrée de gu.”
LimousinLimousin, c. 1663
Where the Delmas Arms Were Recorded
Limousin
Map of France showing where the Delmas arms are recorded
The Delmas arms were recorded in Limousin, c. 1663.
Limousin was upland farming country in central France, poor in money but full of old families. Estates were small and held for a very long time, and long tenure counted for more than wealth when arms were recorded.
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 Delmas 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 Limousin.
Origin & History of the Delmas Family in France
The surname Delmas is a topographic name that originated in the Occitan-speaking regions of southern France. It is derived from the word "mas," which historically referred to a small farm or a rural landholding. By adding the prefix "del," which means "of the," the name identified a family that lived on or managed one of these specific agricultural estates. Records confirm that the family was well-established in the Limousin region by 1663, where they were likely deeply connected to the local farming economy. Over time, the name spread throughout the surrounding provinces as family members moved to find new land or trade opportunities. Because the name is tied to the landscape itself, it reflects the deep historical roots the family held within the rural communities of the French countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
mas
A farmstead or small rural estate in Occitan and Old French.
This name
DelmasRefers to someone who lived on or worked at a specific farmstead.
also spelled
Delmass
Delmase
Delmaz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives Départementales de la Haute-Vienne, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil (Collection communale et du greffe), 1663
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
