A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Not family of France.
Reg. 4003 · French, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
duckResourcefulness on land and water
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur au chev. d'or, acc. de trois canettes d'arg. ; ledit chev. surm. de trois roses rangées du même.”
NormandieNormandie, c. 1663
Where the Not Arms Were Recorded
Normandie
Map of France showing where the Not arms are recorded
The Not arms were recorded in Normandie, c. 1663.
Normandie held a dense crowd of knightly families on some of the best farmland in France. Its men had fought and settled abroad for generations, and a family that sent sons to war needed a shield they could be recognised by.
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 Not 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 Normandie.
Origin & History of the Not Family in France
The surname Not traces its roots to the historical region of Normandy in northern France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, Normandy was a vibrant area defined by its agricultural output and its proximity to the English Channel, which played a major role in the lives of local families. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term or a shortened form of a longer occupational name common in the rural parishes of the region. Families living in Normandy at this time were often deeply connected to the land and the local church, which served as the primary center for community life and record keeping. As the family established itself in these coastal towns, they became part of the long history of Norman society, contributing to the cultural and social fabric of the province before many families began to migrate further across Europe and eventually to the Americas.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Francus
A Latin term referring to a member of the Frankish tribe.
This name
NotIndicates an individual who is not of French origin or nationality.
also spelled
Nott
Notte
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Seine-Maritime, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Lebel, Paul, Les noms de personnes en France, 1946
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