Map of France showing where the Narvaez arms are recorded
The Narvaez arms were recorded in Navarre, c. 1663.
Navarre was mountain country straddling the Pyrenees, with a strong class of small independent landholders. A great many households counted as gentry there, and each needed a shield 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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Narvaez 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 Navarre.
Origin & History of the Narvaez Family in France
The surname Narvaez is a topographic name that identifies a person who originated from the region of Navarre in northern Spain. The name is derived from the Basque words "naba," meaning a plain or valley, and "arri," meaning stone, which together describe a rocky valley or a flat area surrounded by mountains. By the year 1663, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established within the Kingdom of Navarre, where they played active roles in local community life. As the family grew, members began to migrate from these northern lands toward other parts of the Iberian Peninsula and eventually across the Atlantic. This movement helped the name spread throughout the Spanish-speaking world, turning a local identifier into a widely recognized family name.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Narba
A pre-Roman Basque or Iberian place name meaning valley or plain.
This name
NarvaezRefers to someone originating from the town of Narvaez in Navarre, Spain.
also spelled
Narvaes
Narvaezz
Narvaezes
Narvays
Narvaz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Mendiburu, Manuel de. Diccionario histórico-biográfico del Perú. 1874
Pescador del Hoyo, María del Carmen. Archivo General de Indias: Catálogo de pasajeros a Indias durante los siglos XVI, XVII y XVIII. 1940
Archivo General de Navarra. Sección de Comptos, Documentación Real
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fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
