A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Galles family of France.
Reg. 9636 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'arg. semé de bill. de sa.; au lion du même, br. sur le tout.”
ForezForez, c. 1663
Where the Galles Arms Were Recorded
Forez
Map of France showing where the Galles arms are recorded
The Galles arms were recorded in Forez, c. 1663.
Forez was a small upland county in central France, thick with minor gentry holding modest estates. Its families were more numerous than wealthy, and even a small holding was enough for a shield of one's own.
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 Galles 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 Forez.
Origin & History of the Galles Family in France
The family name Galles finds its historical roots in the region of Forez, a historic province in east-central France. Records confirm that members of the family were established in this area by 1663, living within a landscape defined by the rolling hills of the Massif Central and the fertile Loire River valley. During the seventeenth century, families in this region were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy or the emerging craft industries of nearby towns. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term used to identify individuals who had connections to Gaul or those who spoke a distinct dialect. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the Forez countryside, participating in the local parish life and community traditions that defined rural French society during the reign of King Louis XIV.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gallus
Latin term referring to a person from Gaul or a rooster.
This name
GallesAn occupational or habitational surname denoting someone of Gallic origin or descent.
also spelled
Galless
Gallese
Gallesio
Gales
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Loire, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la commune de Forez
Gonon, Marguerite, La vie quotidienne en Forez au XVIIe siècle, 1960
Gras, Pierre, Histoire du Forez, 1978
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
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
lionCourage, strength and royalty
billetThe sealed letter, and a message delivered
