Map of Belgium showing where the Pré arms are recorded
The Pré arms were recorded in Belgium, c. 1726.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Brabant.
Brabant lay at the heart of the Low Countries, where the trade routes met. Its towns were wealthy and its landowners many, and both kinds of family kept arms, which is why the region is so heavily represented.
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 Belgium in this period.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Belgium when the Pré arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Belgium
In Belgium, a coat of arms is considered personal property that is passed down through the male line to legitimate descendants. Families often use the same shield design across generations to show their shared heritage. If a branch of the family wants to change the design, they must apply for an official update to their specific version of the arms.
Granting authority
The Conseil héraldique is the official body that regulates and approves all coats of arms in Belgium.
How they got arms
Families obtain their coats of arms through formal royal grants or by confirming their historical right to use existing designs.
Where arms were recorded
All approved coats of arms are officially recorded in the public registers of the Conseil héraldique since 1844.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Belgium.
Origin & History of the Pré Family in Belgium
The family name Pré is a topographic surname, which means it originated from the physical landscape where the earliest ancestors lived. In French, the word "pré" translates to a meadow or a field, suggesting that the first people to carry this name likely resided near a prominent pasture or a grassy clearing. By the year 1726, historical records confirm that members of the Pré family were well-established in the region of Brabant. During this period, Brabant was a bustling area known for its agricultural productivity and complex social structure. Families living in this region often identified themselves by the specific features of their land, which helped distinguish them in growing local communities. As the family moved and expanded across the countryside, the name remained a link to their ancestral roots in the fertile fields of the Low Countries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
pratum
Latin term referring to a meadow or pasture land.
This name
PréA topographic surname for someone who lived near or worked on a meadow.
also spelled
Pree
Prey
Pray
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
State Archives in Belgium, Parish registers of the Duchy of Brabant, 1726
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
