A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fromage family of France.
Reg. 1739 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 dauphins d'or; au chef de gu., ch. de trois fasces d'or.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Fromage Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Fromage arms are recorded
The Fromage arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Fromage 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 Fromage Family in France
The surname Fromage is a classic example of a name derived from a professional trade in medieval France. The word itself translates to cheese, suggesting that the earliest ancestors to carry this name were likely cheesemakers or merchants who sold dairy products in local markets. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Fromage family were firmly established in the region of Bretagne. During this period, families in this area often lived in close-knit rural communities where trade skills were passed down through generations. Because the name is linked to a common food staple, it likely emerged independently in different villages as a way to identify individuals by their specific craft. This connection to the land and traditional food production highlights a history rooted in the everyday labor and economic life of seventeenth-century France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Formaticum
Latin term referring to something shaped in a mold.
This name
FromageAn occupational name for a maker or seller of cheese.
also spelled
Fromagier
Fromazhay
Fromage
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morvan, Françoise, Les archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Series B (Cour et juridictions seigneuriales), 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
