A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fily family of France.
Reg. 1803 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
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'or à la fasce de gu., acc. de cinq fleurs-de-lis du même, 3 et 2. D.: HÆC LILIA TINCTA CRUORE.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Fily Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Fily arms are recorded
The Fily arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Fily 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Fily Family in France
The family name Fily traces its roots to the historic province of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Fily family were well-established residents within this rugged coastal region. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne was a distinct area with its own unique traditions and social structures. Families like the Fily clan often lived in small rural parishes where they worked as farmers, artisans, or local tradespeople. Life in this era centered on the local church and the seasonal rhythms of the land. Because the name appears in regional documents from this time, it is clear that the family was part of the foundational history of the Breton countryside. Over the following generations, the descendants of these early settlers continued to shape the local community as they moved through the changing landscapes of French history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Filius
Latin term meaning son or offspring.
This name
FilyA patronymic surname derived from the Latin word for son.
also spelled
Filly de Limerac
Fili de Lymerac
Phily de Limerat
Fili de Limerak
Fily
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Série B (Archives de la juridiction de Lesneven)
Galllouédec, Louis, La Bretagne, 1917
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
