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'arg. au lion de gu., acc. de trois molettes de sa., rangées en chef.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Figone family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. au lion de gu., acc. de trois molettes de sa., rangées en chef.”
The Figone arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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.
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 Figone has deep roots in the historical region of Bretagne, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne was a distinct province with its own unique customs and language, often separating it from the rest of France. Families in this coastal area frequently built their lives around maritime trade, agriculture, or local craftsmanship. Given the linguistic patterns of the time, the name likely emerged from regional dialects that evolved through centuries of local interaction. By establishing themselves in this rugged landscape, the early Figone ancestors became part of a long tradition of families who helped shape the social and economic life of the Breton countryside during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Latin term for the fig tree or its fruit.
