Map of France showing where the Forcella arms are recorded
The Forcella arms were recorded in Ile-de-France, c. 1663.
Ile-de-France is the country around Paris, and proximity to the court mattered. Families who served the crown were rewarded with land near it, and land near the capital carried arms almost as a matter of course.
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 Forcella 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 Ile-de-France.
Origin & History of the Forcella Family in France
The surname Forcella has roots that connect to the linguistic traditions of the Romance languages, where the name likely originated as a descriptive term for a person living near a fork in a road or a mountain pass. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were firmly established in the Ile-de-France region, which includes the area surrounding Paris. During the seventeenth century, this part of France was a hub of administrative growth and social change under the reign of King Louis XIV. Families living in this region at the time often worked in skilled trades or local agriculture, contributing to the development of the rural and urban landscapes that defined the kingdom. As the family settled into this environment, they became part of the long history of the Parisian basin, leaving behind records that track their presence through parish registers and local legal documents.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Furca
A Latin term referring to a two-pronged fork or pitchfork.
This name
ForcellaA topographic name for someone living near a fork in a road or a mountain pass.
also spelled
Forsel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives nationales de France, Minutier central des notaires de Paris
Favier, Jean, Paris: deux mille ans d'histoire, 1997
Figeac, Michel, L'Ancien Régime : de 1610 à 1789, 2012
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
