A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Frette family of France.
Reg. 7592 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'or à deux lions léopardés de sa., cour. d'arg., l'un sur l'autre.”
PoitouPoitou, c. 1663
Where the Frette Arms Were Recorded
Poitou
Map of France showing where the Frette arms are recorded
The Frette 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 Frette 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 Frette Family in France
The family name Frette finds its historical roots in the Poitou region of western France, where members of the family were documented as early as 1663. The name itself is thought to be linked to the Old French word *frette*, which historically referred to a type of iron band or a decorative lattice pattern used in architecture and metalwork. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name may have been skilled craftsmen, blacksmiths, or ironworkers who earned their living by shaping metal. During the seventeenth century, Poitou was a region defined by its rural economy and shifting religious landscapes, and families like the Frette were part of the local social fabric that sustained the area through agriculture and trade. By establishing their presence in this specific province, the family became part of the long history of French provincial life, where surnames often served as a permanent record of a family’s trade or their specific place within the community.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fractus
Latin term meaning broken or fractured.
This name
FretteRefers to a person who lived near a broken piece of land or a rocky outcrop.
also spelled
Frett
Fret
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales de la Vienne, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Beauchet-Filleau, Henri, Dictionnaire historique et généalogique des familles du Poitou, 1891
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
