A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dorne family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 1952 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 la fasce d'or, acc. en chef d'une rose de gu. et en p. d'un pèlerin.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Dorne Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Dorne arms are recorded
The Dorne 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 Dorne 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 Dorne Family in France
The family name Dorne traces its roots in France to the rugged and culturally distinct region of Bretagne, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1663. During this period, the name was likely associated with the local landscape or the specific trade of its earliest members, as was common for families living in the rural provinces of the seventeenth century. Life in Bretagne at this time was defined by a strong sense of regional identity and a reliance on maritime and agricultural traditions. As the family settled into the local community, they became part of the social fabric of the province, navigating the economic shifts and religious changes that characterized the reign of Louis XIV. While the name remains tied to these early Breton origins, it reflects the broader history of families who helped build the foundations of local society through generations of work and community involvement.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
ravenConstancy and divine providence
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur au chev. d'or, acc. en chef à dextre d'un croiss. d'arg., à sen. d'une étoile d'or et en p. d'une corneille de sa. posée sur une terrasse isolée de sin. Cq. cour. C.: un palmier de sin., entre six branches de rosier, chacune fleurie d'une rose de gu. et feuillée de deux pièces de sin.; les branches ext. feuillées de trois pièces. L. d'or et d'azur.”
MecklenburgLubeck · Mecklenburg, c. 1765
Where the Dorne Arms Were Recorded
Mecklenburg
Map of Germany showing where the Dorne arms are recorded
The Dorne arms were recorded in Mecklenburg, c. 1765.
Mecklenburg was farming country in the north of Germany, held by a small number of families who kept their estates for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so a great many Mecklenburg names ended up in the registers.
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 Germany in this period.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in France when the Dorne arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Mecklenburg.
Origin & History of the Dorne Family in Germany
The family name Dorne has deep roots in the northern German region of Mecklenburg, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1765. The name itself is likely derived from the Middle Low German word "dorn," which refers to a thorn bush or a thorny thicket. In the medieval period, surnames often described the landscape where a person lived, suggesting that the earliest ancestors may have resided near a prominent hedge or a patch of brambles. As the family grew in Mecklenburg, they became part of the local social fabric during a time when the region was transitioning through significant agricultural and political changes. By the mid-18th century, the name was firmly embedded in the local community, reflecting a history tied to the rural traditions and the distinct linguistic heritage of northern Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dorn
A Germanic term referring to a thorn or a thorny bush.
This name
DorneA topographic name for someone who lived near a patch of thorn bushes.
also spelled
Dorn
Dornee
Dornes
Related arms
Melliersimilar arms
Philippe de Marignysimilar arms
Dornvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, Series E
Poterie, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1996
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
ravenConstancy and divine providence
