A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fors family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
cross symbolChristian faith and serviceJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à la croix engr. d'or.”
The Fors arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify a shield.
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.
Reigning in France when the Fors arms are first recorded.
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 Fors finds its historical roots in the region of Poitou, France, where members of the lineage were firmly established by the year 1663. The name itself is likely topographic, derived from the Old French word for a forest or a wooded area, suggesting that the earliest ancestors lived near or managed these natural landscapes. During the seventeenth century, Poitou was a center of agricultural life and religious transition, which shaped the daily experiences of families living in the rural provinces. As the name became fixed in local records, it reflected the deep connection between the people and the specific geography of western France. By maintaining their presence in this region, the early members of the Fors family contributed to the local community through their work and social ties long before the name spread to other parts of the world.
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth sonSir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Or, three fleurs-de-lis sa”
The Fors arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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 England in this period.
Reigning in France when the Fors arms are first recorded.
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
The name Fors carries a history that reaches back into the northern regions of England, where the family established a presence in the city of York by the early seventeenth century. During this period, York was a bustling center of trade and religious life, serving as a hub for families who were often involved in local commerce or skilled crafts. The name itself likely evolved from Old Norse or Old English roots, reflecting the linguistic melting pot of the Yorkshire area where Scandinavian influence remained strong for centuries. By 1620, individuals bearing this name were part of a growing urban society that was navigating the transition from the Elizabethan era into the political shifts of the Stuart period. While the family name suggests a connection to the rugged landscape of the north, their documented life in York highlights a transition toward settled city living and the development of community ties that defined the English middle class of the time.
Latin term referring to an opening, door, or gate.
