A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fonteno family of France.
Reg. 2503 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un héron d'arg., tenant en son bec une truite d'or.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Fonteno Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Fonteno arms are recorded
The Fonteno 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 Fonteno 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 Fonteno Family in France
The family name Fonteno traces its roots to the historic region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well established within this coastal province. The name itself is topographical in nature, likely derived from the Old French word "fontaine," which refers to a natural spring or a fountain. Families with this name often lived near such water sources, which were essential landmarks for early rural communities. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric of Bretagne, participating in the agricultural and maritime traditions that defined life in that region during the seventeenth century. Over time, the name evolved through various spellings as families moved and adapted to new environments, but its origins remain firmly tied to the landscape of western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fons
Latin term meaning a spring, fountain, or source of water.
This name
FontenoDerived from a topographic descriptor for someone who lived near a natural spring or fountain.
also spelled
Fontenot
Fontenault
Fontenaux
Fonteno
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
