A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Frappier family of France.
Reg. 3774 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 pal gironné d'or et de sa.”
PoitouPoitou, c. 1663
Where the Frappier Arms Were Recorded
Poitou
Map of France showing where the Frappier arms are recorded
The Frappier arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify a shield.
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 Frappier 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 Poitou.
Origin & History of the Frappier Family in France
The name Frappier traces its roots to the historic province of Poitou in western France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of this family were well established in the region. The name itself is derived from the Old French verb frapper, which means to strike or to hit. In a medieval context, this likely functioned as a descriptive nickname for a person known for their physical strength, their skill as a blacksmith, or perhaps their bold personality. As the family grew, they became part of the rural fabric of Poitou, contributing to the agricultural and social life of the French countryside before many descendants eventually crossed the Atlantic to seek new opportunities in North America.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
frapper
Old French verb meaning to strike or to hit.
This name
FrappierA nickname for a person who was physically forceful or a striker.
also spelled
Frappyer
Frappiere
Frappie
Frapier
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
Jetté, René, Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec, 1983
Archives Nationales d'Outre-Mer, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, Series E
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
