Map of France showing where the Postle arms are recorded
The Postle 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 Postle 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 Postle Family in France
The family name Postle holds deep roots in the historical region of Ponthieu, located in northern France. By the year 1663, records confirm that members of the family were well established within this area. The name likely evolved from local linguistic patterns in Picardy, where surnames often reflected a person’s trade, a specific location, or a notable physical trait. During the seventeenth century, Ponthieu was a landscape defined by agricultural traditions and shifting political borders, which influenced how families moved and recorded their identities. As the family grew, their presence in the region became a part of the local social fabric, linking their history to the broader development of northern French communities during the early modern period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Apostolus
A messenger or one sent forth on a mission.
This name
PostleA surname derived from a nickname for a messenger or a religious pilgrim.
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 Picardie et du Ponthieu, 1922
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
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
