Map of France showing where the Moraine arms are recorded
The Moraine arms were recorded in Poitou, c. 1663.
Poitou was western French farming country, divided among a large number of small landed families. Its gentry were numerous and modest, and even a small estate was enough to justify a shield.
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 Moraine 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 Poitou.
Origin & History of the Moraine Family in France
The surname Moraine finds its historical roots in the western regions of France, specifically within the province of Poitou. By the year 1663, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in this area, living among the rolling landscapes and rural communities of the French countryside. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Old French word *moraine*, which referred to a specific type of stony ground or a ridge of earth left behind by natural forces. Families with this name were likely associated with the land, working as farmers or laborers who lived near these distinct geological features. Over time, as these individuals moved from their ancestral villages to larger towns, the name became a permanent way to identify their lineage and their connection to the geography of Poitou.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Maurus
Derived from the Latin word for a dark-skinned person or Moor.
This name
MoraineA topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a marsh or moorland.
also spelled
Mourin
Muran
Morain
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Archives départementales de la Vienne, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
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chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
