Map of France showing where the Saulnier arms are recorded
The Saulnier arms were recorded in Lorraine, c. 1712.
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 Saulnier 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 Saulnier Family in France
The surname Saulnier is an occupational name that originated in medieval France. It comes from the Old French word saunier, which refers to a person who worked in the salt trade. During the Middle Ages, salt was a vital commodity used for preserving food, making those who harvested or sold it essential members of the local economy. By the time members of the family were documented in the Lorraine region in 1712, the name had been established for centuries across various French provinces. Families with this name often lived near salt marshes or inland salt mines where they managed the production and distribution of this valuable resource. Over generations, the name became a permanent identifier for families whose ancestors were once central to the salt industry.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
salinarius
Latin term for a salt merchant or worker in salt pans.
This name
SaulnierAn occupational surname for someone who produced, transported, or sold salt.
also spelled
Saulnyer
Solnyay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil de Lorraine
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
