Map of France showing where the Sojo arms are recorded
The Sojo arms were recorded in Navarre, c. 1663.
Navarre was mountain country straddling the Pyrenees, with a strong class of small independent landholders. A great many households counted as gentry there, and each needed a shield 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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Sojo 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 Navarre.
Origin & History of the Sojo Family in France
The family name Sojo finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of Navarre, Spain, where members of the lineage were firmly established by the mid-seventeenth century. During the year 1663, the name appeared in regional records, marking the family as part of the local social fabric in a time when Navarre served as a vital crossroads between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. The name itself is thought to be topographic in origin, likely derived from the Basque language, which suggests that the earliest ancestors were deeply connected to the specific geography of their home province. As the family grew, they participated in the typical life of a Navarrese household, navigating the complex agricultural and social systems of the era. By maintaining a presence in this region for generations, the Sojo family helped preserve the cultural identity of their community while adapting to the shifting political landscape of northern Spain.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Solius
Derived from the Latin word for sun or solitary.
This name
SojoA locative or topographic surname likely referring to someone residing near a sunny location.
also spelled
Soho
Related arms
Alvirciosimilar arms
Sorianosimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivo Real y General de Navarra, Sección de Procesos Judiciales
Mikel Belasko, Diccionario etimológico de los nombres de los pueblos, villas y ciudades de Navarra, 1999
Patxi Salaberri Zaratiegi, Euskal deiturategia: patronimia, 2003
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
wolfReward from long service and hard work
saltire coupedResolution, and the cross of St Andrew
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
wolfReward from long service and hard work
saltire coupedResolution, and the cross of St Andrew
