A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Labour family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 5608 · French, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'arg. à trois étoiles d'azur; aux 2 et 3 d'arg. à trois roses de gu.”
PoitouPoitou, c. 1663
Where the Labour Arms Were Recorded
Poitou
Map of France showing where the Labour arms are recorded
The Labour arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify a shield.
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 Labour 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 Poitou.
Origin & History of the Labour Family in France
The family name Labour finds its historical roots in the western region of France known as Poitou. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established in this area, which was a significant center for agriculture and trade during the seventeenth century. The name itself is likely derived from the French word for labor or work, suggesting that the earliest ancestors were individuals deeply connected to the land and the farming traditions of the French countryside. During this period, families in Poitou often lived in tight-knit rural communities where their surname served as a direct link to their daily occupation and their contribution to the local economy. As these early family members navigated the social and political landscape of the French provinces, their name became a permanent marker of their heritage and their long-standing presence in the region.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ar. on a bend sa. three annulets of the first, a trefoil slipped of the second”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Labour Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Labour arms are recorded
The Labour arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in France when the Labour arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Labour Family in England
The family name Labour appears in the historical record of York during the early seventeenth century, a time when the city served as a vital hub for trade and administration in Northern England. By 1620, individuals bearing this name were established within the local community, likely participating in the city’s robust guild system or the agricultural economy surrounding the Ouse River. Surnames during this era often evolved from occupational descriptors or geographical identifiers, suggesting that the early Labour family may have been linked to the physical labor required to maintain the city’s medieval infrastructure or its busy merchant docks. As York was a center for religious and social change at the time, these early family members would have navigated a society defined by strict parish hierarchies and the growing influence of the merchant class. Their presence in the city archives provides a window into the lives of ordinary citizens who contributed to the stability and growth of one of England’s most historic urban centers.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Labor
Latin term meaning toil, work, or exertion.
This name
LabourA topographic or occupational name for someone who worked as a laborer or lived near a specific work site.
also spelled
Labourte
Labour
Labourth
Laboor
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Albert Dauzat, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Marie-Thérèse Morlet, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales de la Vienne, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil du Poitou
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
