A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Le Gall family of France.
Reg. 7549 · French, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
applePeace, plenty and long-standing settlement
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à trois poires d'or, les queues en haut.”
BretagneBretagne, c. 1663
Where the Le Gall Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Le Gall arms are recorded
The Le Gall arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Le Gall 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Le Gall Family in France
The surname Le Gall is a classic example of a locative nickname that originated in the historic region of Brittany. In the Breton language, the term "gall" was historically used to describe someone who spoke French rather than the native Breton tongue, or it was used to identify a person who had migrated from outside the region. By the time records confirm the presence of the family in Brittany in 1663, the name had become a well-established identifier for local families. Because Brittany maintained a distinct cultural and linguistic identity for centuries, this name served as a way to distinguish individuals based on their origins or their ability to speak the language of the French court. Over many generations, the name transitioned from a simple descriptive label into a permanent family surname that was passed down through the centuries in the rural parishes of western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gallus
Latin term referring to a person from Gaul or a rooster.
This name
Le GallA locative or ethnic surname identifying an individual as being from Brittany or Gaul.
also spelled
Gall
LeGall
Coetgoulouarn
Gall-Coetgoulouarn
Le Gal
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Deshayes, Albert, Dictionnaire des noms de famille bretons, 1995
Tanguy, Bernard, Les noms de lieux bretons, 1975
Archives Départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
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applePeace, plenty and long-standing settlement
applePeace, plenty and long-standing settlement
