A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fowl family of France.
treeLife, endurance and deep rootsJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à trois arbres au nat.”
The Fowl arms were recorded in Boston, c. 1725.
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.
Reigning in France when the Fowl 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 Fowl likely originated as a descriptive nickname in regions where English or Germanic languages were spoken, often referring to someone who possessed bird-like characteristics or worked in the trade of poultry. By the early eighteenth century, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the province of Bretagne in France. During this period, the region served as a vital crossroads for trade and migration between the British Isles and the European continent. Families moving into this area often integrated into the local agricultural or maritime communities while maintaining their ancestral naming traditions. The presence of the Fowl name in Bretagne by 1725 suggests that these individuals were part of a broader movement of people who crossed the English Channel to seek new opportunities in the coastal towns of western France.
Derived from the Old French word for a fool or jester.
