A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Pompey family of France.
Reg. 8294 · French, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à la fasce d'or, acc. de deux étoiles, 1 en chef et 1 en p.; au 2 tiercé en fasce de gu., d'azur et de gu., à deux fasces d'or, br. sur le tiercé. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1° un cerf iss. et cont. d'or; l. d'or et d'azur; 2° un lion iss. d'or, tenant une épée d'arg.; l. d'or et de gu.”
Francec. 1725
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Map of France showing where the Pompey arms are recorded
The Pompey arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Pompey 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 Pompey Family in France
The family name Pompey has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1725. The name itself is likely derived from the Latin name Pompeius, which was a common personal name in the ancient Roman world. Over many centuries, this name evolved and spread across Europe as Latin culture influenced local naming traditions. In the context of 18th-century Brittany, families often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where they worked in agriculture or local trades. The presence of the Pompey name in this region suggests that ancestors were part of the local social fabric long before the mid-1700s. As families moved through different parishes, they helped shape the identity of their local towns by participating in church life and regional commerce. By studying these early records, we can see how a name with ancient origins became established as a permanent part of the history of Western France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pompeius
Derived from the Oscan word for the number five.
This name
PompeyA Roman family name historically associated with the fifth-born child or fifth-born son.
also spelled
Pompey
Pompay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Archives départementales du Finistère, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
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