Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à la bande engr. d'arg.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Leri family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à la bande engr. d'arg.”

The Leri 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.
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.
The family name Leri has deep roots in the historical region of Bretagne, where members of the family were documented as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne was a distinct province with its own unique customs and social structure. Families living in this area often identified closely with their local parishes and the rural landscape of the Atlantic coast. The name likely evolved from regional dialects or nicknames used to describe a person’s trade or their specific place of origin within the province. As the family established itself in the region, they became part of the local community fabric, participating in the agricultural and maritime life that defined the Breton identity of that era. By maintaining a presence in Bretagne during this period, the early Leri family contributed to the long and complex history of a region known for its strong traditions and independent spirit.
Derived from the Latin word hilarius meaning cheerful or joyful.