Map of France showing where the Sylla arms are recorded
The Sylla arms were recorded in Lyonnais, c. 1663.
Lyonnais centred on Lyon, one of the great banking and silk towns of France. Money made in the city bought estates in the countryside around it, and those estates brought arms with them.
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 Sylla 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 Lyonnais.
Origin & History of the Sylla Family in France
The family name Sylla carries a history deeply rooted in the social fabric of seventeenth-century France. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family were established in the Lyonnais region, a vibrant area known for its trade and cultural influence. During this period, the name was likely associated with families who lived in rural or semi-urban communities, where they participated in the local economy and parish life. Because surnames were often tied to specific geographic locations or personal characteristics during this era, the presence of the Sylla name in Lyonnais suggests a long-standing connection to the traditions and regional identity of eastern France. Over time, these early ancestors helped shape the lineage that would eventually carry the name forward through the centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Sulla
Latin cognomen derived from the word for a furrow or groove.
This name
SyllaA French surname of Roman origin referring to a person with a furrowed brow or a plowman.
also spelled
Sallah
Sallay
Sall
Sala
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Rhône, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil du Lyonnais, 1663
Bouchard, Gérard, Quelques arpents d'Amérique: Population et économie du peuplement français, 1996
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms et prénoms de France, 1951
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crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
