A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Frans family of France.
Reg. 0414 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
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 trois épis effeuillés d'or, et deux plu-”
Francec. 1725
Where the Frans Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Frans arms are recorded
The Frans arms were recorded in France, 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.
Louis XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Frans 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 Frans Family in France
The family name Frans finds its roots in the historical region of Bretagne, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1725. The name itself is a variation of the name François, which was a common way to identify people of French origin or those living within the French kingdom during the early modern period. In the rural communities of eighteenth-century Bretagne, surnames often evolved from given names as families grew and settled into specific parishes. By living in this coastal region, the early members of the Frans family likely participated in the local agricultural or maritime traditions that defined Breton life during the reign of King Louis XV. Over time, the name became a fixed identifier for the family, passed down through generations as they navigated the social and economic shifts of western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Francus
A member of the Germanic tribe known as the Franks.
This name
FransDerived from a medieval personal name meaning a free man or a Frenchman.
also spelled
Franc
Frans
Fraunce
Fraunces
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales du Finistère, Collection de la série E (Registres paroissiaux)
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Le Gall, Jean-Yves, Les noms de famille en Bretagne, 1998
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
