Map of France showing where the Marte arms are recorded
The Marte arms were recorded in Vivarais, c. 1663.
Vivarais was rough upland country above the Rhone, poor and thinly settled. Its gentry held small estates for very long periods, and long tenure counted for more than wealth when arms were recorded.
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 Marte 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 Vivarais.
Origin & History of the Marte Family in France
The family name Marte finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of the Vivarais region in southeastern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established residents in this area, which is known today as the Ardèche department. During the seventeenth century, the Vivarais was a place defined by its deep valleys and mountainous terrain, where families often lived in close-knit rural communities centered around agriculture and local trade. The name likely evolved from regional naming traditions or nicknames common to the Occitan-speaking populations of the Massif Central. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the province, navigating the complex religious and political shifts that defined life in rural France during the reign of King Louis XIV. Their presence in these early parish registers provides a clear window into a lineage that has been tied to the traditions and geography of the Vivarais for over three centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Mars
The Roman god of war and agriculture.
This name
MarteA habitational name derived from the Roman deity, often associated with those born in March.
also spelled
Maret
Marette de la Tour
Maretet
Marrett
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de l'Ardèche, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la commune de Viviers, 1663
Bost, Hubert, Ces Messieurs de la R.P.R.: Histoires et écritures de huguenots cévenols, 2001
Muller, Claude, Le Vivarais: terre de contrastes, 1998
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
