A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Pelland family of France.
sunGlory, splendour and the source of lifeJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un soleil d'or.”
The Pelland arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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.
Reigning in France when the Pelland arms are first recorded.
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.
The history of the Pelland family traces its roots to the coastal region of Bretagne in northwestern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this distinct cultural landscape. During the seventeenth century, Bretagne was a place defined by maritime trade and strong local traditions. Families living in this region often worked in agriculture or fishing, which required deep knowledge of the land and the sea. As the seventeenth century progressed, some individuals from these French provinces chose to cross the Atlantic to settle in the colony of New France. This migration helped the Pelland name transition from its origins in the old world to a new life in North America, where the family continued to grow and adapt to the challenges of a developing frontier.
Derived from the Latin word pellis meaning skin or hide.
