A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Speigner family of France.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ec. de sa. et d'arg. [Marie de Rabutin de Chantal, connue par ses lettres, était veuve de Henri marquis de Sévigné, maréchal de camp, tué en duel en 1651.]”
The Speigner 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.
Reigning in France when the Speigner arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Speigner carries a history deeply rooted in the cultural landscape of western France. By 1725, records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Bretagne. During this period, the area was known for its distinct linguistic traditions and its strong connection to maritime trade and agriculture. Families living in this province often adapted their surnames to reflect the local dialects or the specific trades they practiced within their coastal communities. As the Speigner family settled into this environment, they became part of the social fabric of the region, participating in the daily life and local customs that defined eighteenth-century Breton society. Their presence in this part of France suggests a history tied to the unique regional identity of the area, where families often maintained deep roots in their home parishes for many generations.
Derived from the Old French term for a person from Spain.
