Map of France showing where the Heman arms are recorded
The Heman arms were recorded in Ile-de-France, c. 1663.
Ile-de-France is the country around Paris, and proximity to the court mattered. Families who served the crown were rewarded with land near it, and land near the capital carried arms almost as a matter of course.
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 Heman 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 Ile-de-France.
Origin & History of the Heman Family in France
The family name Heman has deep roots in the historical landscape of northern France, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the Ile-de-France region as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, this area served as the political and cultural heart of the French kingdom, surrounding the growing influence of Paris. Families living in this region during that era were often connected to the agricultural development of the fertile Seine basin or the burgeoning administrative life of the royal court. The name likely evolved as a localized variation of earlier Germanic or Frankish naming traditions that persisted in the region following the Middle Ages. As the family established itself in the villages near the capital, they became part of the complex social fabric that defined the transition from feudal life to the centralized monarchy of the Bourbon kings. By maintaining a presence in this influential province, the early Heman family participated in the daily life, labor, and community building that shaped the identity of the French people during the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Haim
A Germanic root meaning home or settlement.
This name
HemanDerived from a Germanic personal name meaning home man or dweller.
also spelled
Hemman
Heeman
Related arms
Hemmanvariant spelling
Hemmannvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Nationales de France, Minutier central des notaires de Paris, Series Y
Fichier Origine, Fédération des sociétés de généalogie du Québec, 2024
Lachance, André, La vie urbaine en Nouvelle-France, 1987
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
