Map of France showing where the Uzzell arms are recorded
The Uzzell arms were recorded in Bretagne, c. 1663.
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 XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Uzzell 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 Bretagne.
Origin & History of the Uzzell Family in France
The surname Uzzell has deep roots in the historical region of Bretagne, France, where records confirm family members were established as early as 1663. The name is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname or a locational identifier tied to the specific dialects spoken in western France during the seventeenth century. Families living in this coastal province often relied on agriculture or maritime trade, and the Uzzell name likely evolved alongside the unique cultural traditions of the Breton people. As the seventeenth century progressed, social and economic shifts in France encouraged some families to move beyond their ancestral villages. This migration helped the name spread into new territories, eventually carrying the history of the Bretagne region across borders and into the broader records of European ancestry.
Uzzell Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Ours
Derived from the Latin word ursus meaning a bear.
This name
UzzellA diminutive form indicating a small bear or a descendant of someone nicknamed bear.
also spelled
Uzell
Uzele
Uzellh
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Série B (Fonds de la juridiction de Rennes)
Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, 1951
Tanguy, Bernard, Dictionnaire des noms de communes, trèves et paroisses des Côtes-d'Armor, 1992
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
