A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dora family of France.
Reg. 2539 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
ermineDignity and rank
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'arg. à trois mouch. d'herm. de sa.; au 2 d'arg. au chev. de gu., acc. de trois étoiles d'azur.”
Ile-de-FranceIle-de-France, c. 1663
Where the Dora Arms Were Recorded
Ile-de-France
Map of France showing where the Dora arms are recorded
The Dora arms were recorded in Ile-de-France, c. 1663.
Ile-de-France is the country around Paris, and proximity to the court mattered. Families who served the crown were rewarded with land near it, and land near the capital carried arms almost as a matter of course.
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 Dora 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 Ile-de-France.
Origin & History of the Dora Family in France
The family name Dora carries a rich history rooted in the heart of the Île-de-France region. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established within this area, which served as the cultural and political center of the French kingdom. During the seventeenth century, families in this region often lived in close-knit rural communities or growing urban centers near Paris, where they contributed to the local economy through agriculture, trade, or skilled craftsmanship. The name likely evolved from regional dialects or local geographic descriptions common to the French countryside during the early modern period. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the Île-de-France, living through a time of significant transition as France moved toward the absolute monarchy of the later seventeenth century. Their presence in the region during this era suggests a stable lineage that was deeply connected to the development of the French heartland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Doron
Ancient Greek term meaning a gift or present.
This name
DoraDerived from the Greek word for gift, often associated with divine blessings.
also spelled
Daurate
Dauratt
Dora
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives nationales de France, Minutier central des notaires de Paris, Series Y
Favier, Jean, Paris au XVe siècle, 1974
Mousnier, Roland, La Famille, l'enfant et l'éducation en France au XVIIe siècle, 1975
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