Map of France showing where the Plume arms are recorded
The Plume 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 Plume 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 Plume Family in France
The surname Plume has deep roots in the historical region of Bretagne, where members of the family were documented as early as 1663. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname, as the word "plume" refers to a feather or a quill in the French language. In medieval times, such names were often given to individuals based on their physical appearance, their light-footed nature, or perhaps their profession as a scribe or a clerk who relied on quills for their daily work. By the mid-seventeenth century, families bearing this name had established themselves within the local social fabric of northwestern France. These early ancestors were part of a period defined by rural development and the growth of parish communities, where families were often tied closely to the land and the local administrative records of the church. Over time, the name became a permanent identifier for these lineages as they moved through the changing landscapes of French history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
pluma
Latin term referring to a soft feather or down.
This name
PlumeA topographic or occupational name for someone who dealt in feathers or had a light, airy nature.
also spelled
Plumme
Plum
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1663
Morvan, F., La Bretagne féodale, 2010
Dauzat, A., Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
batonAuthority and office held under the crown
