Map of France showing where the Rohan arms are recorded
The Rohan arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1008.
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.
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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Rohan Family in France
The House of Rohan traces its origins to the early eleventh century in the region of Brittany, France. The family first appears in historical records around the year 1008 when Alan I, the Viscount of Rohan, established his seat of power near the Oust River. He chose to build a fortress at a strategic location that eventually became the town of Rohan. This family quickly rose to prominence by forming strong political alliances with the Dukes of Brittany. Over the following generations, they expanded their influence by acquiring vast lands and governing large territories throughout the region. Their early history is defined by their role as powerful feudal lords who played a vital part in the political and social development of medieval Brittany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ruo-huan
Old Breton word for red or reddish-colored.
This name
RohanA locative surname derived from the town of Rohan in Brittany.
also spelled
Roan
Rohan-Soubise
Rohann
Rohen
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Morice, Pierre-Hyacinthe, Mémoires pour servir de preuves à l'histoire ecclésiastique et civile de Bretagne, 1742
Chédeville, André, Le mouvement communal en France aux XIe et XIIe siècles, 1973
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Fonds de la famille de Rohan, Series E
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masclePersuasion and the mail of a knight's coat
masclePersuasion and the mail of a knight's coat
