A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ferret 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 une chaine d'or, posée en bande.”
The Ferret arms were recorded in Aunis, c. 1663.
Aunis was tiny coastal country around La Rochelle, living entirely on the sea. Merchant families grew rich on Atlantic trade, bought land nearby, and took arms as landowners.
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.
Reigning in France when the Ferret arms are first recorded.
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 surname Ferret originates from the medieval French language, where it functioned as a descriptive nickname derived from the word for the small, agile animal known as the ferret. In early society, such names were often given to individuals who displayed traits associated with the creature, such as a quick wit, a slender build, or a persistent nature in their work. By the year 1663, records confirm the presence of the Ferret family in the province of Aunis, a coastal region in western France known for its historical ties to maritime trade and salt production. During this era, families in Aunis were deeply integrated into the local agricultural and merchant economies. The move toward settling in this specific region suggests that early members of the family were likely involved in the vibrant commercial life of the Atlantic ports or the rural development of the surrounding countryside. Over time, the name became a permanent fixture of the local population, reflecting a history rooted in the practical life and social structures of seventeenth-century France.
Derived from the Latin word ferrum meaning iron.
