Map of France showing where the Medin arms are recorded
The Medin arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Louis XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Medin 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 France.
Origin & History of the Medin Family in France
The family name Medin has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1725. During the eighteenth century, Brittany was a distinct province with its own unique customs and a strong maritime culture. Families in this area often lived in rural parishes where they worked as farmers or artisans, contributing to the local economy of the coastal villages. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects or local nicknames that described a person's trade or their specific place of residence within the province. As the family grew over the generations, they became part of the social fabric of the region, participating in the daily life and traditions that defined life in western France during the late monarchy.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Medius
Latin term meaning middle or central.
This name
MedinRefers to a person who lived in the middle of a settlement or held a central position.
also spelled
Medyn
Medinn
Meden
Related arms
Medenvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Gautier, Hervé, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1993
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
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