A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gallon family of France.
Reg. 0795 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
vairProtection, and the winter fur
parrotEloquence, and travel in distant lands
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
VairMeans: Protection
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De sa. à la croix engr. de vair, cant. de quatre têtes de perroquet affr. d'or.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Gallon Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Gallon arms are recorded
The Gallon arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Gallon 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Gallon Family in France
The family name Gallon has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1663. The name is likely derived from the Old French word "gal," which was a common nickname used to describe someone with a lively or cheerful personality. During the seventeenth century, families in this coastal area were often tied to the land or the sea, and the Gallon name appears in local parish registers that track baptisms, marriages, and deaths. These early ancestors were part of a distinct regional culture that maintained its own traditions and language while living under the French crown. By settling in Brittany, the family became part of a long history of maritime trade and agricultural development that defined the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Galo
A person of Gaulish or Celtic origin.
This name
GallonA topographic name for someone living near a stream or a nickname for a lively person.
also spelled
Galon
Related arms
Galon de la Chanièrevariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
parrotEloquence, and travel in distant lands
cross symbolChristian faith and service
parrotEloquence, and travel in distant lands
