A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Essey family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Gironné de gu. et d'arg.; à un écusson d'arg., br. en coeur.”
The Essey arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1663.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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.
Reigning in France when the Essey arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Essey finds its roots in the historic region of Lorraine, France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1663. The name is likely locative in origin, meaning it was originally derived from the village of Essey-lès-Nancy or a similar settlement in the area. During the seventeenth century, Lorraine was a territory defined by its strategic importance and its complex political status between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman Empire. Families living in this region were often deeply tied to the land and local agricultural traditions. As the family grew, members likely moved through the surrounding Meurthe-et-Moselle department to pursue trade or farming opportunities. This early history reflects the broader movement of people across the borderlands of Europe during a time of significant transition and regional development.
Derived from the Old French word for a trial or test.
