Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à trois chev. de gu.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fredell family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à trois chev. de gu.”
The Fredell arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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.
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 Fredell family traces its historical roots back to the region of Normandy, France, where members were documented as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Normandy was a hub of agricultural activity and maritime trade, providing a stable environment for families to establish deep local ties. The name likely evolved from regional dialects common to northern France, reflecting the linguistic shifts that occurred as local populations interacted with neighboring cultures. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the Norman countryside, participating in the daily life and economic development of their parishes. By maintaining a presence in this historical province, the early Fredell ancestors helped shape the identity of their local communities before many families began to migrate further across Europe and eventually toward the Americas.
Derived from the Germanic element meaning peace or protection.
