A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Erard family of France.
Reg. 2568 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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'or à une tige de trois feuilles de laurier de sin., acc. de trois merlettes de sa.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Erard Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Erard arms are recorded
The Erard arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 Erard 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Erard Family in France
The surname Erard is rooted in the ancient Germanic name Eberhard, which combines words meaning wild boar and brave or strong. By the time the name became established in the Normandy region of France, it had evolved into a distinct family identifier. Historical records confirm that members of the Erard family were living in Normandy by 1663, a period when the region was a vital center for agriculture and trade. During the seventeenth century, families in this area often lived in close-knit rural communities where surnames were passed down to track lineage and property rights. Because the name originated from a term associated with courage and strength, it likely reflected the values held by the ancestors who first carried it through the turbulent history of northern France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hard
A Germanic element meaning brave, hardy, or strong.
This name
ErardDerived from the Germanic name Erhard, signifying a person who is brave and hardy.
also spelled
Erhardt
Erart
Errard
Related arms
Erhardtvariant spelling
Errardvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
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martletA younger son, who must win his own land
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
