Map of France showing where the Postelle arms are recorded
The Postelle arms were recorded in Ponthieu, c. 1663.
Ponthieu was small coastal country in northern France, on the road armies took between the Channel and Paris. Its families held land in return for service, and men who served carried shields.
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 Postelle 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 Ponthieu.
Origin & History of the Postelle Family in France
The Postelle family name is deeply rooted in the historical region of Ponthieu, located in northern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area, which was known for its agricultural traditions and proximity to the English Channel. The name itself likely evolved as a descriptive term, potentially linked to the Old French word for a post or a small pillar, which may have originally identified a family living near a specific landmark or serving in a local administrative capacity. As the family navigated the social and political changes of seventeenth-century France, their presence in Ponthieu suggests they were part of a stable community that valued local land ties. Over time, the family name became a marker of their regional identity, carrying the history of their ancestors forward as they moved through different periods of French history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Post
Latin term for behind or after indicating a location or position.
This name
PostelleA topographical name for someone who lived behind or near a specific landmark or post.
also spelled
Postelle
Postell
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales de la Somme, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux de Ponthieu
Boulanger, Camille, Histoire de la province de Ponthieu, 1895
De Belleval, René, Les fiefs et les seigneuries du Ponthieu et du Vimeu, 1870
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
