A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Olt family of France.
Reg. 7857 · French, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Ec.: au 1 d'azur la croix ancrée d'or, acc. de trois croiss. d'arg.; au 2 cinq points d'azur, équipollés à quatre d'arg.; au 3 d'or à trois chev. de gu.; au 4 d'arg. à la croix de gu.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Olt Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Olt arms are recorded
The Olt arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
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.
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 Olt 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 France.
Origin & History of the Olt Family in France
The history of the Olt family name is rooted in the regional traditions of northwestern France, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the province of Bretagne by 1663. During this period, the name likely functioned as a geographic or occupational identifier, common for families living in the rural parishes of the region. As the family established themselves in the local community, they participated in the typical agricultural and social structures of seventeenth-century Brittany. Because the name is relatively rare, it suggests that the family likely remained in a specific geographic cluster for several generations, allowing them to integrate into the local parish records and community life. Over time, the name became a permanent marker of their ancestry in the region, reflecting the migration patterns and naming customs that defined the social landscape of pre-revolutionary France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Altus
Latin term meaning high, deep, or noble.
This name
OltA topographic name for someone living near a high place or a deep river.
also spelled
Aulte
Aults
Alt
Olt
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine, Série B (Fonds des juridictions seigneuriales)
Gautier, Alain, Histoire de la Bretagne, 2010
Le Gall, Jean-Marie, Les gens de Bretagne au XVIIe siècle, 1998
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
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
