A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dieudonné family of France.
Reg. 5311 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à trois têtes de griffon d'or.”
LorraineLorraine, c. 1663
Where the Dieudonné Arms Were Recorded
Lorraine
Map of France showing where the Dieudonné arms are recorded
The Dieudonné arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1663.
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.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Dieudonné 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 Dieudonné Family in France
The surname Dieudonné is a French name that literally translates to "God-given," a term historically used to describe a child born after a long period of waiting or as a sign of divine favor. By the year 1663, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Lorraine region of northeastern France. During this period, Lorraine was a territory defined by its strategic location between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman Empire, often serving as a crossroads for trade and cultural exchange. Families living in this area were frequently involved in agriculture or skilled craftsmanship, contributing to the local economy while navigating the complex political shifts of the seventeenth century. The presence of the Dieudonné name in these early parish and civil registers suggests that the family was part of the stable, settled population that helped define the identity of the Lorraine countryside long before the region was fully integrated into the modern French state.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Deus donum
Latin for God and gift.
This name
DieudonnéA French given name and surname meaning given by God.
also spelled
Dieudone
Dieudonnay
Dyoodonnay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Albert Dauzat, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Jean-Louis Beaucarnot, Les noms de famille et leurs secrets, 1988
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
