A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grahm family of France.
Reg. 9918 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
pileWell-doing, and a mark of distinction
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
Colours
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'or à trois piles ondées de sa., encloses dans un double trêcheur fleur. et c.-fleur. de gu.; au chef du sec., ch. de trois coquilles du champ.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Grahm Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Grahm arms are recorded
The Grahm arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Grahm 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 Grahm Family in France
The family name Grahm, appearing in the historical records of Bretagne by 1725, reflects the complex linguistic landscape of northwestern France during the eighteenth century. In this coastal region, names were often shaped by a blend of local Breton dialects and the influence of the French language used for official administrative documents. Families living in Bretagne at this time were typically tied to the land through agriculture or maritime trade, as the rugged geography of the peninsula encouraged close-knit community structures. The spelling of the name likely evolved as parish priests and local clerks recorded births and marriages based on how the name sounded to them in a regional accent. By maintaining a presence in this area, the early members of the Grahm family were part of a long tradition of regional identity that defined life in Bretagne before the major political shifts of the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grand
Derived from the Latin grandis meaning large, great, or tall.
This name
GrahmA locational or descriptive surname referring to someone of large stature or from a great estate.
also spelled
Grahm
Gram
Graeme
Grame
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
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
Le Goff, Jean, La vie quotidienne en Bretagne au XVIIIe siècle, 1978
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
pileWell-doing, and a mark of distinction
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
pileWell-doing, and a mark of distinction
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
