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 une branche de laurier de sin., en pal, posée à dextre, senestrée d'un lion ramp. d'or.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Loreth 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 une branche de laurier de sin., en pal, posée à dextre, senestrée d'un lion ramp. d'or.”

The Loreth arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
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 Loreth finds its historical roots in the region of Bretagne, France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne was a distinct province with its own unique customs and strong ties to maritime trade. Families living in this area often took names that reflected their local environment or their specific trade within the rural villages. Because the name appears in parish registers from this period, it is likely that the early Loreth family lived as farmers or skilled laborers who were deeply integrated into the local community life. Over time, the family name became a permanent marker of their heritage in the region, connecting generations through the shared history of the Breton landscape and the traditions of their ancestors.
Latin term for the laurel tree or bay tree.
