Map of France showing where the Lehmeier arms are recorded
The Lehmeier arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 Lehmeier 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Lehmeier Family in France
The family name Lehmeier traces its roots to the Germanic regions of Europe, but historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the Normandy region of France by 1663. During the seventeenth century, Normandy was a hub of agricultural and social transition, and families with names like Lehmeier often served as land managers or tenant farmers. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word for loam or clay, suggesting that the family’s earliest ancestors were likely associated with working the land or living on fertile soil. By the time they appeared in French records in the 1660s, the family had likely migrated westward, adapting their name to fit the local linguistic landscape while maintaining their traditional ties to rural life. This movement across borders reflects the broader patterns of migration that defined European families during the early modern period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Lehm
Germanic term for loam, clay, or muddy soil.
This name
LehmeierAn occupational name for a farmer or worker who cultivated clay-rich soil.
also spelled
Le Mier
Lemierre
le Myer
Lemier
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
