Map of France showing where the Vautour arms are recorded
The Vautour 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 Vautour 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 Vautour Family in France
The surname Vautour finds its roots in the historical province of Bretagne, where records confirm the presence of the family as early as 1663. In the French language, the word *vautour* translates to vulture, a name likely bestowed upon early ancestors as a descriptive nickname. During the medieval and early modern periods, it was common for families to adopt names based on physical traits, personality, or local wildlife to distinguish themselves within their communities. By the mid-17th century, the Vautour family was firmly established in the social fabric of the region, participating in the agricultural and parish life typical of rural Brittany. As the family grew, they became part of the broader migration patterns that eventually saw the name spread beyond the borders of their ancestral province.
Vautour Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Vulturius
Derived from the Latin word for a bird of prey or vulture.
This name
VautourA topographic or occupational surname referring to a person with a predatory nature or a bird-like appearance.
also spelled
Vauttre
Vautreh
Vautr
Votr
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France. 1951
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse. Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille. 1991
Archives départementales d'Ille-et-Vilaine, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
