A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fen family of France.
Reg. 7237 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à la fasce d'azur; à la bord. engr. du même.”
FranceNew-York, c. 1725
Where the Fen Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Fen arms are recorded
The Fen arms were recorded in New-York, 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 Fen 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 Fen Family in France
The family name Fen has deep roots in the coastal region of Bretagne, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1725. During the eighteenth century, Bretagne was a distinct province with its own unique cultural identity and language, which likely influenced how the name was recorded and spoken by local officials. Families in this area often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they worked as farmers, laborers, or maritime workers. Because the name is short and phonetically simple, it likely evolved from a descriptive nickname or a reference to a specific geographic feature near their home, such as a marshy area or a field. As the family grew, they became part of the long history of the Breton people, contributing to the local economy and the social fabric of their parishes through generations of hard work and community involvement.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fain
Old French term meaning hay or a field of hay.
This name
FenA topographic name for someone who lived near a hay field or meadow.
also spelled
Fenne
Fenns
Venn
Fen
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives Départementales du Morbihan, Collection de l'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
