Map of France showing where the Rigo arms are recorded
The Rigo arms were recorded in Dauphine, c. 1663.
Dauphine lay in the mountains of south-eastern France, a country of small estates and scattered valleys. Its gentry were many and mostly modest, and even a small landholding was enough to justify arms.
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 Rigo 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 Dauphine.
Origin & History of the Rigo Family in France
The Rigo family name has deep roots in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France, where records confirm their presence as early as 1663. During the seventeenth century, this area was a mountainous landscape defined by strict social hierarchies and agricultural traditions. Families like the Rigos often lived in tight-knit rural communities where they played essential roles in local trade or farming. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects, possibly serving as a descriptive nickname or a shortened form of a longer given name common to the Alpine valleys. As the family established their life in the Dauphiné, they became part of the local fabric that helped shape the history of this distinct province before the major political shifts of the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ric
A Germanic element meaning powerful, brave, or ruler.
This name
RigoA diminutive form of names like Richard, signifying a brave or powerful ruler.
also spelled
Rigoh
Rigoe
Rig
Reego
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives Départementales de l'Isère, Collection de l'Intendance de Dauphiné (Série C)
Borel d'Hauterive, André, Annuaire de la noblesse de France et des maisons souveraines de l'Europe, 1855
Chorier, Nicolas, Histoire générale de Dauphiné, 1661
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
horseReadiness to serve king and country
horseReadiness to serve king and country
