A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Doy family of France.
Reg. 9046 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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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 au chev. d'or.”
PicardiePicardie, c. 1663
Where the Doy Arms Were Recorded
Picardie
Map of France showing where the Doy arms are recorded
The Doy arms were recorded in Picardie, c. 1663.
Picardie lay on the northern road into France and saw armies pass through it repeatedly. Its landowners were soldiers as often as farmers, and a soldier needed a shield he could be recognised by.
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 Doy 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 Picardie.
Origin & History of the Doy Family in France
The family name Doy has deep roots in the Picardie region of northern France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Picardie was a significant area known for its agricultural production and its strategic location near the border of the Spanish Netherlands. Families in this region often lived in small rural communities where they worked as farmers or skilled tradespeople. The name itself likely originated as a short, descriptive nickname or a localized variation of a common regional term. Because many people in this era did not move far from their place of birth, the Doy family likely remained in the same villages for generations, contributing to the local economy and the social fabric of the Picardie countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Oie
Derived from the Old French word for a goose.
This name
DoyA topographic name for someone who lived near a place frequented by geese.
also spelled
Doyes
Doyet
Doy
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Somme, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Mairey, Aude, Une histoire de la Picardie, 2012
Pesez, Jean-Marie, La vie rurale en Picardie au XVIIe siècle, 1985
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
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