Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un faisceau de trois flèches d'arg., lié de gu. D.: NUNQUAM DEFLECTIT.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Feline family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un faisceau de trois flèches d'arg., lié de gu. D.: NUNQUAM DEFLECTIT.”
The Feline arms were recorded in Beaujolais, c. 1725.
Beaujolais was wine country in eastern France, small but prosperous. Its landowners were modest and numerous, and even a single vineyard estate was enough to justify a coat of arms.
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.
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 Feline traces its historical roots to the Beaujolais region of France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1725. During the eighteenth century, this area was defined by its rolling hills and a thriving agricultural economy centered on viticulture. Families living in Beaujolais at this time were typically deeply integrated into the local parish life, often appearing in baptismal and marriage registers maintained by the Catholic Church. The name itself likely evolved from local dialects or descriptive nicknames common in the rural communities of eastern France. By remaining in this specific province, the early Feline ancestors were part of a stable social structure that relied on land cultivation and regional trade. These early generations helped establish the family identity within the unique cultural landscape of the Beaujolais territory.
Latin word meaning cat or feline animal.
