Map of France showing where the Poist arms are recorded
The Poist arms were recorded in Bresse, c. 1725.
Bresse was flat farming country in eastern France, known for its poultry and its markets. Its landed families were modest and long-settled, and steady holding of the same ground is what fills a register.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Poist 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 Bresse.
Origin & History of the Poist Family in France
The family name Poist finds its historical roots in the Bresse region of eastern France, a territory known for its unique cultural identity and traditional agricultural practices. By 1725, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area, which was historically situated between the mountains of the Jura and the Saône river. During the early eighteenth century, families in Bresse often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where life revolved around the seasonal rhythms of farming and local trade. The name likely evolved from regional dialects or descriptive nicknames common to the people of the Bresse countryside. As the family grew, they remained deeply connected to the social and economic landscape of the province, contributing to the local history of a region that was eventually integrated into the broader French administrative system.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pois
Derived from the French word for pea or pulse.
This name
PoistA topographic name for someone who lived near a pea field or a merchant selling peas.
also spelled
Poisa
Poisatt
Pwasa
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de l'Ain, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de la Bresse, 1725
Brossard, Maurice, Histoire de la Bresse, 1976
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
