A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dubray family of France.
Reg. 8373 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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'arg. à trois fasces ondées d'azur: au lion naiss. de sa., mouv. de la première fasce, arm. et lamp. de gu.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Dubray Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Dubray arms are recorded
The Dubray arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Dubray 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Dubray Family in France
The family name Dubray originates from the historic region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established in this coastal area. The name itself is likely topographical in nature, meaning it was used to describe people who lived near a specific type of terrain or a wooded area. In the French language, the prefix "du" indicates "of the" or "from the," while "bray" historically refers to a marshy or muddy piece of land. This suggests that the earliest ancestors of the Dubray family were likely farmers or laborers who settled in the damp, fertile lowlands common to the Breton countryside. Over the centuries, the family became deeply integrated into the local culture of the region, living through the agricultural traditions and social changes that defined life in seventeenth-century France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Robur
Latin term for hard wood or oak tree.
This name
DubrayDerived from a topographic location near an oak grove or forest.
also spelled
Dubreyl
Dubray
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
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
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
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
