A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gillott family of France.
Reg. 6314 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à un croiss. d'or, acc. de trois coeurs du même.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Gillott Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Gillott arms are recorded
The Gillott 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 Gillott 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 Gillott Family in France
The surname Gillott is a diminutive form of the name Giles, which traces its roots back to the ancient Greek name Aegidius. By the mid-seventeenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the region of Bretagne in France. Records from 1663 confirm that members of the Gillott family were active participants in the local society of this coastal province. During this era, families often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they worked as farmers or skilled tradespeople. As the name spread through the region, it became a marker of the family’s long-standing connection to the cultural and social landscape of western France. Over time, the name evolved through various spellings as it moved across borders, yet it remained tied to the early generations who first settled in the Breton countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gille
A diminutive form of the Germanic name Giles or Aegidius.
This name
GillottA patronymic surname derived from a pet form of the name Giles, meaning young goat or shield bearer.
also spelled
Guilhot
Geeyo
Gillott
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France. 1951
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine. Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil. 1663
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
