Map of France showing where the Vavra arms are recorded
The Vavra arms were recorded in Dauphine, c. 1663.
Dauphine lay in the mountains of south-eastern France, a country of small estates and scattered valleys. Its gentry were many and mostly modest, and even a small landholding was enough to justify arms.
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 Vavra 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 Dauphine.
Origin & History of the Vavra Family in France
The family name Vavra finds its roots in the linguistic traditions of Central and Eastern Europe, where it originated as a shortened form of the name Vavřinec. This name is the Slavic equivalent of the Latin name Laurentius, which means someone from the city of Laurentum. By the middle of the seventeenth century, members of the family had established a presence in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France. This area was known for its rugged mountain landscapes and its role as a strategic borderland between the French Kingdom and neighboring territories. Families living in this region during the 1660s often worked as skilled laborers or farmers who adapted to the challenging terrain of the Alps. The migration of the family into this specific French province suggests a history of movement across European borders during a time of significant social and political change.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Barbara
Derived from the Greek word meaning foreign or strange.
This name
VavraA Czech diminutive form of the name Barbara, often used as a surname.
also spelled
Vavres
Vavrer
Vav
Vavr
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Dauphiné Departmental Archives, Série E, État civil et registres paroissiaux
Morlet, Marie-Thérèse, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille, 1991
Svoboda, Jan, Staročeská osobní jména a naše příjmení, 1964
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
