A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fourcade family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De sin. au pairle d'arg.”
The Fourcade arms were recorded in Nantes, c. 1663.
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 Fourcade 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 surname Fourcade originates from the Gascony region of southwestern France and is derived from the Occitan word "forca," which refers to a fork or a place where roads divide. Families carrying this name were often associated with land management or lived near prominent crossroads in rural areas. By the mid-17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the city of Nantes, as evidenced by records from 1663. During this period, Nantes served as a bustling center for maritime trade and commerce, suggesting that members of the Fourcade family were likely involved in the city's growing merchant class or administrative sectors. This transition from the rural landscapes of the south to the urban environment of a major port city highlights the family's adaptability and their integration into the economic life of western France during the reign of King Louis XIV.
A fork, pitchfork, or a crossroads in a path.
