Map of France showing where the Moate arms are recorded
The Moate arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1663.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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 Moate 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Moate Family in France
The family name Moate has deep roots in the historical region of Lorraine, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1663. During this period, Lorraine was a crossroads of European culture and politics, often caught between the influence of the French monarchy and the Holy Roman Empire. Families living in this area were frequently involved in the agricultural and administrative life of the duchy, navigating a landscape marked by frequent territorial shifts and social change. The name itself likely evolved from local geographic markers or descriptive terms used to identify people by the land they occupied or their specific trade. By settling in this region, the early Moate family became part of a resilient community that maintained its identity despite the turbulent political climate of seventeenth-century Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Motte
A small hill or an earthen mound used for fortification.
This name
MoateRefers to someone who lived near a fortified mound or a small hill.
also spelled
Moate
Moats
Moatt
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Cabourdin, Guy, Histoire de la Lorraine, 1991
Lepage, Henri, Les communes de la Meurthe: journal historique des villes, bourgs, villages, hameaux et censes de ce département, 1853
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
