A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Four family of France.
Reg. 6543 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à la croix dentelée d'or.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Four Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Four arms are recorded
The Four arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
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 Four 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 France.
Origin & History of the Four Family in France
The family name Four traces its roots to the historic region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of this family were well established within the local community. The name itself is likely occupational or topographic in origin, as the French word "four" translates to "oven" or "kiln." In medieval times, such a name was often given to a person who worked as a baker or managed a communal village oven. Because bread was a central part of daily life, the person in charge of the oven held a respected and essential role in the village economy. Over generations, this professional title evolved into a permanent surname that identified the family as they moved through the rural landscapes of western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
furnus
Latin term for an oven or a kiln.
This name
FourOccupational name for a baker or someone who worked at a communal oven.
also spelled
Fours
Four
Fourse
de Foor
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, Series E
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
