A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Didier family of France.
Reg. 0348 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 un tigre ramp. au nat., tenant une rose de gu., tigée et feuillée d'or.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1580
Where the Didier Arms Were Recorded
Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Didier arms are recorded
The Didier arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1580.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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.
Henry III of France
Sovereign of the period
Henry III of France
1574–1589
Reigning in France when the Didier 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Didier Family in France
The surname Didier is a French patronymic name that originates from the ancient Latin name Desiderius, which translates to desired or longed for. By the time the family was firmly established in the Lorraine region in 1580, the name had become a popular choice across France due to the influence of Saint Didier, a fourth-century bishop of Langres. Families bearing this name in Lorraine often lived in rural or semi-urban settings during the late sixteenth century, a period marked by significant religious and social shifts in the duchy. As the name spread through the region, it became deeply rooted in the local culture, reflecting the common naming traditions of the era where personal names evolved into hereditary surnames. The presence of the Didier family in Lorraine during this time places them within a vibrant historical landscape that served as a crossroads for trade and cultural exchange between the French and Germanic worlds.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Desiderius
Latin for desired or longed for.
This name
DidierA French given name and surname derived from the Latin term for one who is wished for.
also spelled
Didyer
Deedyay
Related arms
Deydiervariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Série B: Cours et juridictions sous l'Ancien Régime
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
