Map of France showing where the Racine arms are recorded
The Racine arms were recorded in Picardie, c. 1663.
Picardie lay on the northern road into France and saw armies pass through it repeatedly. Its landowners were soldiers as often as farmers, and a soldier needed a shield he could be recognised by.
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 Racine 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 Picardie.
Origin & History of the Racine Family in France
The family name Racine has deep roots in the northern region of France known as Picardie. By the year 1663, the family was well established in this area, which was a hub for agriculture and trade during the seventeenth century. The name itself is derived from the Old French word for root, which suggests that the original bearers of the name were likely associated with the land or worked as farmers. In the social structure of the time, names often reflected a person’s occupation or their connection to a specific plot of earth. As the family grew in Picardie, they became part of the local fabric, living through a period of significant cultural and political change in France. Their presence in this region during the mid-1600s highlights a long-standing history of rural life and community building that defined the early generations of the Racine name.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Radix
Latin term meaning the underground part of a plant.
This name
RacineA topographic surname for someone who lived near a prominent tree root or a nickname for a person with deep-seated characteristics.
also spelled
Rasin
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Archives départementales de la Somme, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de Picardie, 1663
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
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