Map of France showing where the Demarest arms are recorded
The Demarest arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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 Demarest 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 Demarest Family in France
The Demarest family name traces its roots to the northern regions of France, with historical records confirming the family’s presence in the province of Bretagne by 1663. The name itself is topographical in origin, likely derived from the French phrase "de mare," which translates to "of the pond" or "of the marsh." This suggests that the earliest ancestors bearing this name lived near a prominent body of water or a wetland area. As the family grew, they became part of the Huguenot movement, a group of French Protestants who faced significant religious pressure during the seventeenth century. This environment eventually prompted many members of the family to leave their ancestral homes in search of religious freedom and new opportunities, leading to their migration across the Atlantic to the American colonies.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
de mare
derived from the French word for a pond or pool
This name
Demarestrefers to someone who lived near a pond or a marshy area
also spelled
Demarest
Day Maray
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Ackerman, William S., The Demarest Family: A Record of the Descendants of David des Marest of the French Patent on the Hackensack, 1964
Demarest, Voorhis D., The Demarest Family, 1938
New Jersey State Archives, Records of the Huguenot Society of America, 1663–1700
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crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
