Map of France showing where the Rouleau arms are recorded
The Rouleau arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1657.
Lorraine sat on the border between France and the German lands, and border country bred soldiers. Families here held small estates and served in arms, and a fighting man was exactly the sort who carried a shield of his own.
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 Rouleau 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 Lorraine.
Origin & History of the Rouleau Family in France
The family name Rouleau originates from the French word for a small roll or cylinder, which likely served as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor who worked with rolled materials or possessed a distinct physical trait. By 1657, historical records confirm that members of the Rouleau family were established in the Lorraine region of France. This area was a significant cultural crossroads in the seventeenth century, often influenced by its proximity to both French and Germanic territories. Families in this region during that time were typically involved in agriculture, local crafts, or trade, contributing to the development of the rural economy. As these individuals moved through the changing political landscape of the era, the name became firmly rooted in the local population, eventually spreading as family members migrated to new regions in search of land and opportunity.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Roul
A Germanic personal name derived from Hrodland meaning famous land.
This name
RouleauA diminutive form referring to a small roll of parchment or a rounded object.
also spelled
Roulee
Rool
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Jetté, René. Dictionnaire généalogique des familles du Québec. 1983
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