A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gressett family of France.
Reg. 6903 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. au chev. d'arg., acc. de trois croix pattées du même. S.: deux lions au nat.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Gressett Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Gressett arms are recorded
The Gressett arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Gressett 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 Gressett Family in France
The family name Gressett traces its roots to the northwestern region of France known as Bretagne. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established within this coastal province. The name likely evolved from local linguistic traditions, as many surnames in this area were derived from nicknames or descriptions of a person's trade or physical traits. During the seventeenth century, families in Bretagne often lived in close-knit rural communities where they worked in agriculture or maritime industries. As the family grew, individuals began to move across the region, carrying their name into different parishes and towns. This period of history was marked by significant social changes in France, and the Gressett family was part of the common population that helped shape the local culture and economy of the Breton countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gras
Derived from the Latin crassus meaning thick, fat, or stout.
This name
GressettA locative or descriptive surname referring to someone who was stout or lived on fertile land.
also spelled
Gressett
Gressette
Gressit
Greset
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, 1663
Gautier, René, Dictionnaire des noms de famille de Bretagne, 1993
Tanguy, Bernard, Les noms de lieux bretons, 1975
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chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
cross symbolChristian faith and service
