A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Duford family of France.
Reg. 8927 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
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 à trois épis d'or, tigés et feuillés du même, celui du milieu mouv. d'un monticule du sec.; au chef d'or, ch. de trois étoiles d'azur.”
LimousinLimousin, c. 1663
Where the Duford Arms Were Recorded
Limousin
Map of France showing where the Duford arms are recorded
The Duford arms were recorded in Limousin, c. 1663.
Limousin was upland farming country in central France, poor in money but full of old families. Estates were small and held for a very long time, and long tenure counted for more than wealth when arms were recorded.
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 Duford 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 Limousin.
Origin & History of the Duford Family in France
The family name Duford finds its historical roots in the Limousin region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1663. The name is a topographic surname, which means it was originally used to describe where a person lived. In the French language, the prefix "du" means "of the" or "from the," while "ford" refers to a shallow place in a river or stream that could be crossed on foot. This suggests that the first people to carry the name likely lived near a prominent river crossing in the rural landscape of central France. Over time, as families moved from their ancestral homes to new villages or across the ocean to North America, the name became a permanent way to identify their lineage and connection to the geography of their homeland.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
du fort
Derived from the French preposition du meaning of the and fort meaning strong.
This name
DufordA topographic name for someone who lived near a fortified place or stronghold.
also spelled
Duford
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Haute-Vienne, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil (1663)
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.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
