Map of France showing where the Latour arms are recorded
The Latour arms were recorded in Lyonnais, c. 1663.
Lyonnais centred on Lyon, one of the great banking and silk towns of France. Money made in the city bought estates in the countryside around it, and those estates brought arms with them.
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 Latour 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 Lyonnais.
Origin & History of the Latour Family in France
The surname Latour is a classic example of a topographic name, which means it was originally given to people based on where they lived. In French, the name translates to "of the tower," suggesting that the earliest ancestors likely lived near or worked within a prominent stone tower, fortress, or fortified gatehouse. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the Latour family were well-established in the Lyonnais region of France. During this period, families in this area were often deeply connected to the local agricultural economy or the thriving textile trade that defined the city of Lyon. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the province, leaving behind traces in parish registers and local administrative documents that track their movement and daily lives through the seventeenth century.
Latour Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Turris
Latin term meaning a tower or high structure.
This name
LatourRefers to a person who lived near or worked at a prominent tower or fortification.
also spelled
Latoure
Latourr
Latoor
Related arms
Tour (de la) d'Aubièresvariant spelling
Tour (de la) de Châtillonvariant spelling
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 du Rhône, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil du Lyonnais, 1663
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.
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
