A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the E family of France.
Reg. 5871 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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. au saut. de gu., cant. de quatre croisettes du même.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the E Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the E arms are recorded
The E 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 E 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 E Family in France
The history of the family name E begins in the rugged and windswept region of Bretagne, France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne was a distinct province with its own unique language and customs that set it apart from the rest of the French kingdom. Families in this area often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they worked the land or engaged in maritime trades along the rocky Atlantic coastline. The name likely evolved as a way to identify individuals based on their specific village or their role within the local parish. As the family grew, they remained deeply connected to the traditions of the Breton people, navigating the social and political shifts of the era while maintaining their roots in the western reaches of France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
E
Derived from the Latin preposition ex meaning out of or from.
This name
EA locative surname indicating a person originating from a specific place.
also spelled
Le Mee de Cornehouat
Mee de Cornehouat
Le Mee de Cornehou
LeMay
M
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Fonds de l'Intendance de Bretagne
Croix, Alain, La Bretagne aux 16e et 17e siècles: la vie, la mort, la foi, 1984
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.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
