Map of France showing where the Roig arms are recorded
The Roig arms were recorded in Roussillon, c. 1663.
Roussillon was Pyrenean country that belonged to Spain before it belonged to France. Its families held small estates under both crowns, and serving either one brought a shield.
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 Roig 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 Roussillon.
Origin & History of the Roig Family in France
The surname Roig originates from the Catalan language and serves as a descriptive nickname, as the word translates to "red" or "red-haired." In the medieval period, such names were commonly given to individuals based on their physical appearance or hair color. By the mid-seventeenth century, the family was well-established in the Roussillon region, a territory that transitioned from Spanish to French control under the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. Because this area sat at the crossroads of different cultures and languages, families like the Roigs often held deep roots in the local agricultural and social structures of the Eastern Pyrenees. Records from 1663 confirm that members of the family were active participants in the community life of this borderland, navigating the shift in political authority while maintaining their traditional Catalan identity.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Rex
Latin term meaning a monarch or sovereign ruler.
This name
RoigA Catalan and Occitan occupational surname for someone who acted as a king or served in a royal household.
also spelled
Royg
Roige
Roigh
Roy
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Alcover, Antoni M. and Moll, Francesc de B., Diccionari català-valencià-balear, 1968
Archives départementales des Pyrénées-Orientales, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux, 1663
Morere, Pierre, Les noms de famille en Roussillon, 1994
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
cometA great event foretold, and swift renown
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
cometA great event foretold, and swift renown
