A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fijan family of France.
Reg. 2476 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur au chev. d'or, acc. de trois étoiles du même; au chef du sec, ch. de trois croix pattées de gu.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Fijan Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Fijan arms are recorded
The Fijan 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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Fijan 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 Fijan Family in France
The family name Fijan has deep roots in the historical region of Bretagne, France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1663. During this period, the name was likely tied to the rural landscape and the specific linguistic traditions of the Breton people. Many families in this region during the seventeenth century were closely connected to the land and local parish communities, which served as the center of social and legal life. Because Bretagne maintained a distinct cultural identity separate from the rest of France, names from this area often evolved through local dialects and oral traditions. The Fijan family lived through a time of significant transition in French history, as the central government began to exert more control over regional provinces. By tracing their presence back to the mid-1600s, we can see that the family was part of the foundational population that helped shape the unique heritage of the Breton countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Filius
Latin term meaning son or offspring.
This name
FijanA diminutive or variant form derived from the Latin word for son.
also spelled
Fijan
Feejan de Grandmason
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
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
Tanguy, Bernard, Dictionnaire des noms de communes, trèves et paroisses du Finistère, 1990
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