A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Faye family of France.
Reg. 2731 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à la fasce, acc. en chef d'une croisette fleur. et en p. d'une tour couverte, le tout d'or, la tour maçonnée de sa. et aj. du champ.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Faye Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Faye arms are recorded
The Faye 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 Faye 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 Faye Family in France
The surname Faye finds its roots in the lush landscapes of medieval France, where it originated as a topographic name derived from the Old French word *faye*, meaning a beech tree. Families who adopted this name often lived near a prominent beech forest or a single, notable tree that served as a local landmark. By 1663, records confirm that members of the Faye family were well-established in the region of Normandie. During this period, the family was deeply integrated into the local social fabric, likely participating in the agricultural and community life that defined the province. As these ancestors moved through the seventeenth century, they carried the name as a reflection of their connection to the land and the specific geography of their northern French home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
faya
Old French term for a beech tree.
This name
FayeA topographic name for someone who lived near a beech tree or forest.
also spelled
Fay
Fayes
Fayee
Related arms
Fayvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France. 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
