A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grand-Pré family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Burelé d'or et de gu.”
The Grand-Pré 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.
Reigning in France when the Grand-Pré arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Grand-Pré originates from the French language and translates literally to "large meadow." In the early eighteenth century, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Bretagne. During this period, the name likely served as a topographic identifier, used to describe individuals who lived near or worked on a significant expanse of grassland. Families often adopted such names to distinguish themselves from others in their local communities based on their physical surroundings. By 1725, these ancestors were part of the rural social fabric of northwestern France, where they participated in the agricultural life common to the Breton countryside. Over time, the name transitioned from a simple description of a place into a permanent surname passed down through generations.
Latin for large or great meadow.
