Map of France showing where the Valor arms are recorded
The Valor arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
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.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Valor 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 France.
Origin & History of the Valor Family in France
The family name Valor finds its historical roots in the rugged landscape of Bretagne, France, where records confirm the presence of the family as early as 1663. During this period, the name was likely associated with the local linguistic traditions of the region, which blended Gallo-Romance influences with the strong cultural identity of the Breton people. Families in this area often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where surnames were frequently derived from personal traits, local geography, or the specific roles individuals played in their villages. As the Valor family established themselves in the seventeenth century, they became part of a society deeply connected to the land and the maritime trade routes that defined the Breton coast. Over the following generations, the family name persisted through the social and political shifts of French history, maintaining a quiet but consistent presence in the administrative records of the province.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Valere
Latin verb meaning to be strong, healthy, or worthy.
This name
ValorDerived from a term denoting bravery, courage, and personal strength.
also spelled
Vallory
Valori
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Morbihan, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Poter, Jean, Histoire de la Bretagne, 1974
Tanguy, Bernard, Dictionnaire des noms de communes, trèves et paroisses du Finistère, 1990
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
vol / wingsSwiftness and protection
wreathHonour, and a victory crowned
vol / wingsSwiftness and protection
wreathHonour, and a victory crowned
