Gour Coat of Arms Record & History

A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gour family of France.

Reg. 9844 · French, G–I

Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details

Where the Gour Arms Were Recorded

Bresse
Map of France showing where the Gour arms are recorded

The Gour arms were recorded in Bresse, c. 1725.

Bresse was flat farming country in eastern France, known for its poultry and its markets. Its landed families were modest and long-settled, and steady holding of the same ground is what fills a register.

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.

Region
Bresse
First recorded
1725

Granting Authority for the Gour Arms

Arms of Juge d'armes de France
Juge d'armes de France
Authority

Juge d'armes de France

1407-1789

The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.

Portrait of Louis XV of France
Louis XV of France
Sovereign of the period

Louis XV of France

1715–1774

Reigning in France when the Gour 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 Bresse.

Origin & History of the Gour Family in France

The family name Gour has deep roots in the historical region of Bresse, a fertile area located in eastern France. By the year 1725, records confirm that members of the Gour family were well-established residents within this landscape, which was historically known for its distinct agricultural traditions and salt production. The name itself is thought to be topographical in origin, likely derived from the Old French word "gour," which refers to a deep pool or a body of water. Families living near such geographical features often adopted the term as a way to identify their home or their trade. Over time, the Gour family became integrated into the local society of Bresse, contributing to the rural economy and the social fabric of the region long before the major political shifts of the late eighteenth century.

Related Branches & Arms

Root word
Gort

A Germanic term referring to a garden or an enclosed space.

This name
GourA topographic name for someone who lived near a garden or an enclosed piece of land.
also spelled
Gour de Chaillouvre
Gour de Chaillou
Goor du de Shayloovr
Gour

Documented Sources

J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87

Archives départementales de l'Ain, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la commune de Bresse

Marie-Claude Guigue, Topographie historique du département de l'Ain, 1873

Albert Dauzat, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951

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