A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fayer family of France.
Reg. 1640 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à la bande d'arg.”
PoitouBourbonnais · Poitou, c. 1663
Where the Fayer Arms Were Recorded
Poitou
Map of France showing where the Fayer arms are recorded
The Fayer arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify a shield.
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 Fayer 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 Poitou.
Origin & History of the Fayer Family in France
The family name Fayer has deep roots in the historical province of Poitou, France, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1663. During this period, Poitou was a region defined by its agricultural economy and its role as a center for religious transition. Families living in this area often took names derived from their specific trade, physical traits, or the local landscape. The name Fayer likely evolved from regional dialects, possibly relating to the Old French term for a beech tree or a specific type of local land worker. As these families lived through the seventeenth century, they were part of a society that valued land ownership and community ties. Over time, the name persisted as the family navigated the social and political changes that defined the western coast of France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fagarius
Derived from the Latin word for beech tree.
This name
FayerAn occupational name for someone who worked with beech wood or lived near a beech forest.
also spelled
Fayre
Fayr
Fair
Fayer
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales de la Vienne, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la commune de Poitiers, 1663
Beauchet-Filleau, Henri, Dictionnaire historique et généalogique des familles du Poitou, 1891
Delafosse, Marcel, Histoire du Poitou, 1978
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
