A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ffrench family of France.
Reg. 3877 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
ErmineMeans: Dignity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'herm. au chev. de sa. C.: un dauphin nageant au nat. S.: à dextre une aigle de gu., bq., m. et ailée d'or; à sen. une licorne de gu., crinée et accornée d'or, tenant entre ses dents une branche de rosier de sin., fleurie de deux pièces de gu. D.: MALO MORI QUAM FOEDARI.”
Francec. 1779
Where the Ffrench Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Ffrench arms are recorded
The Ffrench arms were recorded in France, c. 1779.
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 XVI of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XVI of France
1774–1791
Reigning in France when the Ffrench 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 Ffrench Family in France
The Ffrench family name has deep roots that trace back to the region of Normandy in France. The name itself is an anglicized version of the word "French," which was often used as a descriptive surname for people who had migrated from France to other parts of Europe. By the late 18th century, members of the family were well-established in the province of Bretagne. During this period, the family was integrated into the local social and economic structures of the region. As they moved across borders, the family maintained a distinct identity that linked them to their ancestral homeland while they adapted to the customs of their new communities. This history reflects the broader patterns of migration and family development that shaped many European surnames during the late 1700s.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Francus
A Latin term referring to a member of the Frankish tribe.
This name
FfrenchAn ethnic surname denoting an individual who originated from France or was of Frankish descent.
also spelled
French
Frenche
Related arms
Frenchvariant spelling
Frenchevariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
MacLysaght, Edward. The Surnames of Ireland. 1985
O'Hart, John. Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation. 1892
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, État civil et registres paroissiaux
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