A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Harmann family of France.
Reg. 7655 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
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. à un homme iss. d'arg., hab. d'une cotte d'armes d'or, tenant une hache et un bouclier du même.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Harmann Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Harmann arms are recorded
The Harmann arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 Harmann 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Harmann Family in France
The surname Harmann is rooted in the Germanic linguistic tradition, where it is derived from the ancient name Hartmann. This name combines the elements "hard," meaning brave or strong, and "mann," meaning man. While the name originated in Germanic regions, families carrying this name eventually migrated across borders into various parts of Western Europe. By 1663, records confirm that members of the Harmann family were established in the region of Bretagne in France. During this period, families in Bretagne often lived in close-knit rural communities where they worked as farmers or artisans. The presence of the family in this coastal province suggests they were part of the steady movement of people who settled in new territories to seek land and trade opportunities during the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hariman
A Germanic compound derived from words for army and man.
This name
HarmannA soldier or warrior who serves in a military force.
also spelled
Harmann
Harmen
Harmanne
Harmon
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France. 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine. Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil. 1663
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knightChivalry and service in arms
knightChivalry and service in arms
