Map of France showing where the Penland arms are recorded
The Penland 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.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Penland 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Penland Family in France
The Penland family name finds its historical roots in the region of Bretagne, France, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1663. The name is widely considered a locative surname, meaning it likely originated from a specific place or geographic feature within the Breton landscape. In the local language, the prefix "pen" commonly refers to a head, end, or promontory, while the suffix often identifies a specific territory or wooded area. This suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely farmers or landholders who lived near a prominent hill or the edge of a forest. As these individuals moved through the region, the name became a way to identify their origins and connection to the land. Over time, the family name persisted as a marker of their heritage in western France before eventually spreading to other parts of the world.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Penne
Old French term for a pointed summit or a jagged peak.
This name
PenlandRefers to a person who lived near a pointed hill or mountain land.
also spelled
Penlane
Penlann
Penlanh
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Deshayes, Albert, Dictionnaire des noms de famille bretons, 1995
Tanguy, Bernard, Les noms de lieux bretons, 1975
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roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
