Map of France showing where the Rua arms are recorded
The Rua 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 Rua 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 Rua Family in France
The surname Rua is deeply rooted in the history of the Brittany region of France, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1725. The name is linguistically linked to the Breton word "ru," which translates to "red," suggesting that it likely began as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor with red hair or a ruddy complexion. In the social structure of eighteenth-century Bretagne, families often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where such descriptive names helped distinguish individuals within a village. As the family grew, they became part of the local agricultural and maritime traditions that defined the Breton coast. By maintaining their presence in the region for generations, the Rua family helped preserve the unique cultural and linguistic heritage of their home province during a time of significant social change in France.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Rubeus
Latin term meaning red or reddish in color.
This name
RuaA topographic name for someone who lived near a red-colored area or a nickname for a redhead.
also spelled
Dela Rua
Rua
Rua de la Asturyes
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Finistère, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil, 1725
Tanguy, Bernard, Dictionnaire des noms de communes, trèves et paroisses du Finistère, 1990
Deshayes, Albert, Dictionnaire des noms de famille bretons, 1995
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
