A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hanau family of France.
Reg. 5460 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 de gu. à un ours naiss. de sa., mouv. du coupé; au 2 d'arg. plein. Cq. cour. C.: l'ours iss. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Hanau Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Hanau arms are recorded
The Hanau 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 Hanau 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 Hanau Family in France
The family name Hanau carries a history deeply rooted in the movement of people across European borders. While the name is often associated with the German town of Hanau in Hesse, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the Brittany region of France by 1725. During the early 18th century, families often moved across these territories due to shifts in trade, military service, or religious migration. Settling in Brittany suggests that these ancestors integrated into the local French culture while maintaining a name that reflected their ancestral origins. Over time, the family became part of the local social fabric, participating in the daily life and administrative records of their new home. This transition highlights how surnames served as a link to a family's past even as they built new lives in different regions of the continent.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hagenau
A meadow enclosed by a hedge or fence.
This name
HanauRefers to individuals originating from the town of Hanau or a fenced meadow.
also spelled
Hanauw
Hannau
Hanaw
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, 1725
Morice, Pierre-Hyacinthe, Mémoires pour servir de preuves à l'histoire ecclésiastique et civile de Bretagne, 1742
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bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
