Map of France showing where the Pleasant arms are recorded
The Pleasant arms were recorded in Artois, c. 1663.
Artois lay on the disputed ground between France and the Low Countries and was fought over for centuries. Families there held their land under arms, and a shield was how a fighting household was known.
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 Pleasant 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 Artois.
Origin & History of the Pleasant Family in France
The family name Pleasant carries a history rooted in the cultural shifts of seventeenth-century Europe. Records confirm that members of the family were established in the province of Artois by 1663, a region that was then a focal point of transition between Spanish and French influence. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a locative term, reflecting the personality or the pleasant nature of the lands held by early ancestors. During this period, families in Artois often navigated complex social changes as the territory moved under the control of the French crown. As the family moved through these changing borders, the name served as a link to their origins in the northern reaches of France. Over time, the name evolved alongside the linguistic patterns of the region, eventually becoming a distinct identifier for the lineage as they spread into new territories.
Pleasant Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
placere
Latin verb meaning to please, satisfy, or be agreeable.
This name
PleasantDerived from a nickname for an agreeable, charming, or pleasant person.
also spelled
Plaizant
Plezan
Pleasant
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Pas-de-Calais, Série B: Cours et juridictions
Dion, Roger, Histoire des levées de la Loire, 1961
Gauvard, Claude, La France au Moyen Âge du Ve au XVe siècle, 1996
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
