Map of France showing where the Mans arms are recorded
The Mans 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 Mans 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 Mans Family in France
The surname Mans has deep roots in the historical region of Bretagne, where records confirm family members were established by at least 1663. In this coastal area of northwestern France, names often evolved from local geography, occupations, or shortened versions of longer personal names. The name likely functioned as a way to identify individuals within their tight-knit rural communities during a time when surnames were becoming more permanent for tax and legal purposes. Because Bretagne maintained a unique cultural and linguistic identity separate from the rest of France, families in this region often stayed in the same parishes for generations. This stability allowed the Mans name to persist through centuries of local history, reflecting the agricultural and maritime traditions that defined life in the province during the seventeenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Magnus
Latin term meaning great or large.
This name
MansA habitational name derived from the city of Le Mans in France.
also spelled
de Mans
du Manse
de Manse
Du Man
Mans
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Gautier, Hervé, Dictionnaire des noms de famille de Bretagne, 2003
Tanguy, Bernard, Les noms de lieux bretons, 1992
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
