Map of France showing where the Rivet arms are recorded
The Rivet arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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 XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Rivet 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 France.
Origin & History of the Rivet Family in France
The family name Rivet has deep roots in the Brittany region of France, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1725. The name itself is likely derived from the Old French word "rivet," which referred to a small metal bolt or a fastener used in construction and blacksmithing. This suggests that early ancestors may have been skilled craftsmen or metalworkers who earned their surname through their trade. During the eighteenth century, families in Brittany were often closely tied to the local land and the specific industries of their villages. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, living through a time of significant change in French rural life. The persistence of the name in regional documents indicates that the Rivet family maintained a stable presence in the area for generations, contributing to the agricultural and artisanal history of the province.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Rive
A bank or shore of a river or body of water.
This name
RivetA topographic name for someone who lived near a riverbank or shore.
also spelled
Ryvet
Reevay
Rivett
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1725
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
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dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
