A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fos family of France.
Reg. 7708 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. au lion d'or, cour. du même. S.: deux lions, au nat.”
ProvenceProvence, c. 1663
Where the Fos Arms Were Recorded
Provence
Map of France showing where the Fos arms are recorded
The Fos arms were recorded in Provence, c. 1663.
Provence was old country, with towns dating to the Romans and families who traced their land back nearly as far. Its gentry were many and long-settled, and long settlement is what fills a register.
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 Fos 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 Provence.
Origin & History of the Fos Family in France
The family name Fos has deep roots in the sun-drenched region of Provence, France, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1663. The name is likely topographic in origin, derived from the Latin word *fossa*, which refers to a ditch, a trench, or a natural depression in the landscape. In the medieval period, such names were often given to families who lived near a specific landmark or a defensive earthwork. By the mid-seventeenth century, members of the Fos family were active participants in the local social and economic life of Provence. They lived through a time of significant transition in southern France as the region moved from feudal traditions toward the centralized administration of the French monarchy. Their presence in the historical record during this era suggests a family that was integrated into the local community, likely working as landowners or tradespeople who helped shape the character of their village or town.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fossa
Latin term referring to a ditch, trench, or pit.
This name
FosA topographic name for someone who lived near a ditch or defensive trench.
also spelled
Fos
Foss
Fosse
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales des Bouches-du-Rhône, Registres paroissiaux de Provence, 1663
Boyer, Ferdinand, La vie quotidienne en Provence au XVIIe siècle, 1968
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
