A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hawk family of France.
Reg. 0377 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
ermineDignity and rank
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Purple (Purpure)Means: Royal majesty
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. au chev. d'or semé de mouch. d'herm. de sa., acc. de trois bourdons de pélerin de pourpre. C.: un faucon ess. d'herm., bq. et grilleté d'or, ch. sur l'épaule d'une fleur-de-lis du même. T.: à dextre un Neptune de carn., revêtu d'un manteau de sin. bordé d'arg., sommé d'une couronne à l'antique d'or, tenant de sa main dextre un trident d'arg., emmanché de sa., dirigé en bas: ledit Neptune assis sur un dauphin de sa.; à sen. un cheval marin d'or, tenant une petite bannière d'arg., la hampe rompue. D.: STRIKE.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Hawk Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Hawk arms are recorded
The Hawk 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 Hawk 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 Hawk Family in France
The family name Hawk likely originated as a descriptive nickname for a person who possessed keen eyesight or a sharp, predatory nature similar to the bird of prey. In the context of your ancestors in Bretagne during the early 18th century, the name would have been adapted to fit the local French linguistic landscape, potentially appearing in records as a translation or a phonetic variation of the English root. Families living in this coastal region of France during the 1720s were often part of tight-knit agricultural or maritime communities where surnames served as vital identifiers for tax rolls and parish registers. Because Bretagne was a distinct cultural hub with its own traditions, your ancestors were likely integrated into a society that valued lineage and local trade. By 1725, the presence of the name suggests a family that had established roots within the regional administrative system, marking them as part of the historical fabric of the province during a time of significant social stability.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Faucon
A bird of prey used in the sport of falconry.
This name
HawkAn occupational name for a falconer or a nickname for a sharp-eyed person.
also spelled
Hawk
Hauk
Hauke
Hawks
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Archives Départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1725
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.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
ermineDignity and rank
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
ermineDignity and rank
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
