A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Vires family of France.
Reg. 4557 · French, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti d'azur et d'or; à trois annelets mal-ordonnés de l'un à l'autre. C.: un homme iss., tort. d'azur, cour. d'or, hab. d'un parti d'azur et d'or à trois annelets de l'un en l'autre rangés en pal, ceint d'un parti d'or et d'azur, tenant de chaque main un annelet, celui à dextre d'or et celui à sen. d'azur.”
Francec. 1521
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Map of France showing where the Vires arms are recorded
The Vires arms were recorded in France, c. 1521.
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.
Francis I of France
Sovereign of the period
Francis I of France
1515–1547
Reigning in France when the Vires 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 Vires Family in France
The family name Vires traces its historical roots to the region of Bretagne in northwestern France, where records confirm members of the family were established by the year 1521. During the early sixteenth century, this area was a distinct duchy that had only recently been joined to the French crown, creating a unique cultural environment where families often held local influence through land management and regional administration. The name likely evolved from local linguistic patterns common to the Breton landscape, reflecting the way families were identified by their neighbors or their specific place of residence. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the province, participating in the daily life and economic activities that defined this coastal territory. By maintaining a presence in Bretagne during this period of transition, the early Vires family helped establish a lineage that remained connected to the traditions and history of their home province for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Viridis
Latin term meaning green, flourishing, or youthful.
This name
ViresA topographic name for someone who lived near a green or verdant area.
also spelled
Vyre
Viree
Vires
Veer
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales d’Ille-et-Vilaine, Série B (Cours et juridictions)
Le Moyne de La Borderie, Arthur, Histoire de Bretagne, 1896
Pocquet du Haut-Jussé, Barthélémy, François II, duc de Bretagne et l'Angleterre, 1929
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