A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fala family of France.
Reg. 1735 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur au lion d'arg., acc. de trois trèfles du même.”
FranceGuernsey, c. 1725
Where the Fala Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Fala arms are recorded
The Fala arms were recorded in Guernsey, 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 Fala 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 Fala Family in France
The family name Fala traces its roots to the historic region of Bretagne in northwestern France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1725. During this period, families in the region were often deeply connected to the local landscape and the specific parish communities where they resided. The name likely evolved from local linguistic traditions, reflecting the distinct cultural identity of the Breton people who maintained their own customs and dialects separate from the rest of France. As rural inhabitants, early members of the Fala family were likely involved in agricultural life or maritime trades, which were the primary ways of survival in the coastal and inland villages of the eighteenth century. By remaining within the same geographic area for generations, the family helped establish the deep-rooted social ties that defined life in Bretagne before the major political changes of the late 1700s.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fala
Latin term for a wooden tower or scaffold used in arenas.
This name
FalaA topographic name for someone living near a wooden watchtower or fortification.
also spelled
Fala
Fallow
Fallowe
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales du Finistère, Collection de l'état civil
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
lionCourage, strength and royalty
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
