A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the El family of France.
Reg. 1975 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“d'or et d'azur. S.: deux tigres au nat., tenant chacune une bannière aux armes de l'écu. D.: JE SOUTIENDRAI CUYPERS [Anciennement cette famille portait pour D., l'une fois: NIL DESPERANDUM, et l'autre fois: JURE NON VI.]”
Francec. 1725
Where the El Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the El arms are recorded
The El arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the El 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 France.
Origin & History of the El Family in France
The family name El carries a deep sense of mystery due to its brevity and ancient linguistic roots. By the year 1725, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established in the region of Bretagne, France. During this period, families in this coastal area often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they relied on agriculture and maritime trade. The name itself is striking because it is exceptionally short, which suggests it may have originated as a shortened form of a longer name or as a descriptive nickname used by local villagers. As the family navigated the social and economic changes of eighteenth-century France, they became part of the unique cultural tapestry of the Breton people, who maintained distinct traditions and languages separate from the rest of the country. This early presence in Bretagne marks the beginning of a long history that connects the family to the rugged landscape and storied past of northwestern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hel
A Germanic or Old French term related to sun or light.
This name
ElDerived from a topographic location or a shortened form of names containing the element hel.
also spelled
El
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
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