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)“D'arg.; au chef de gu., ch. d'une face du Christ d'arg.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Montuore family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg.; au chef de gu., ch. d'une face du Christ d'arg.”

The Montuore 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.
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 Montuore traces its roots to the historical region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were already established in this rugged coastal area. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne was a distinct province with its own unique customs and strong ties to the sea. Families living there often worked in agriculture or maritime trades, which helped them build deep connections to their local parishes. As the name appears in regional documents from this period, it suggests that the family was part of the local social fabric during a time of significant transition in French history. Over the following generations, the name remained linked to the traditions and geography of this resilient region.
Latin for golden mountain or hill.
