A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Delrio family of France.
Reg. 1863 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à un château sommé de trois tours d'or, fermé d'azur, posé dans une eau au nat. C.: un lion iss. d'or, arm. et lamp. de gu.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Delrio Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Delrio arms are recorded
The Delrio arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Delrio 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 Delrio Family in France
The name Delrio is a topographic surname that traces its roots to the Romance languages, specifically referring to someone who lived near a river. While the name is often associated with Mediterranean regions, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the Brittany region of France by 1725. During this period, families in Brittany were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the unique cultural traditions of the province. As the family settled into this coastal landscape, they likely integrated into the local parish life, which served as the primary center for record-keeping and community organization in the eighteenth century. The movement of the name into northern France suggests that the family may have been part of the broader patterns of internal migration that defined the era, as individuals sought new opportunities in the growing towns and rural parishes of the Breton countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
rivus
Latin term meaning a stream, brook, or small river.
This name
DelrioRefers to someone who lived near a river or a small stream.
also spelled
Del Rio
Rio del
Rio del Esp
Reedel
Delrio
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1725
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
