A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Harville family of France.
Reg. 5873 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
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)
“De gu. à la croix d'arg., ch. de cinq coquilles de sa.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Harville Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Harville arms are recorded
The Harville 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 Harville 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 Harville Family in France
The Harville family name traces its roots to the historic region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1725, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this coastal territory. The name likely developed as a topographic surname, which was a common practice in medieval France to identify individuals based on the specific landscape or village where they lived. In the local dialect of the time, the name suggests a connection to a cultivated piece of land or a small rural settlement. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Bretagne, participating in the agricultural and maritime traditions that defined life in that region during the eighteenth century. Their presence in these early parish registers highlights a long-standing history of residency in a land known for its distinct cultural identity and deep ancestral ties.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hard-ville
A combination of the Germanic word for brave and the French settlement.
This name
HarvilleRefers to a person originating from a brave or hardy village settlement.
also spelled
Harvil
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
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
cross symbolChristian faith and service
escallopThe pilgrim's shell, and a long journey made
