Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à une fasce, acc. en chef d'un oiseau ess. et en p. d'une croisette, le tout d'arg.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Duban family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à une fasce, acc. en chef d'un oiseau ess. et en p. d'une croisette, le tout d'arg.”
The Duban arms were recorded in Franche-Comte, c. 1663.
Franche-Comte sat between France and the Empire and changed hands more than once. Border families held their land under arms and expected to defend it, so a shield was a practical thing rather than an ornament.
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.
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.
The family name Duban traces its historical roots to the rugged and mountainous region of Franche-Comté in eastern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established within this area, which was then a crossroads of European culture and trade. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term or a topographic indicator, possibly referring to individuals who lived near specific landmarks or within a particular community setting. During the seventeenth century, the people of Franche-Comté faced significant political shifts as the region transitioned between Spanish and French control. Living through this era of instability, the early Duban family members were likely involved in local agriculture or regional craftsmanship, which were the primary ways of life for families in the Jura Mountains at that time. Their presence in the historical record during this period highlights a long-standing connection to the traditions and social structures of this distinct French province.
Derived from the Old French preposition de and the place name Ban.
