A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Paye family of France.
Reg. 5828 · French, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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.: aux 1 et 4 d'azur à la barre d'arg.; aux 2 et 3 d'arg. au pal d'azur.”
MaineMaine, c. 1663
Where the Paye Arms Were Recorded
Maine
Map of France showing where the Paye arms are recorded
The Paye arms were recorded in Maine, c. 1663.
Maine was quiet farming country in western France, held in small manors by families who stayed for generations. Nothing about it was grand, but steady landholding is exactly what puts a name in the registers.
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 Paye 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 Maine.
Origin & History of the Paye Family in France
The family name Paye has roots that stretch back to the early colonial period in North America, with documented evidence placing family members in the territory of Maine as early as 1663. During this era, Maine was a rugged frontier where settlers often lived in small, isolated coastal communities focused on fishing, timber, and trade. The name likely evolved from older linguistic traditions, possibly serving as a variation of names derived from the Old French word for country or region. As these early settlers established their lives in the harsh New England climate, they became part of the foundational population that helped shape the region's economy and local government. By settling in Maine during the seventeenth century, the Paye family participated in the difficult process of building permanent homes in a wilderness that was often subject to border disputes and environmental challenges.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Paix
Derived from the Latin word pax meaning peace or agreement.
This name
PayeA topographic name for someone who lived near a peaceful area or a boundary marker.
also spelled
Payes
Pay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Libby, Charles Thornton, Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire, 1928
Maine State Archives, Province and Court Records of Maine, 1663
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
