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Archiver > ACADIAN-CAJUN > 2000-01 > 0946840890


From: <>
Subject: Re: Coat of Arms
Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2000 14:21:30 EST


Martha:
You wrote in addition to many things, concerning the coats of arms of the
Acadian surnames.

"I don't think peasants had coats of arms or family crests, but I don't know
for sure."

The last half of the sentence tells the whole story.

Some people in the past either researched the heraldry of the ancient
surnames that some or most of the Acadians had.

Unlike the slaves in America, they did not take the names of their masters.
They carried their surnames from generation to generation, from what ever
origin. Some of their ancestors, bearers of these surnames surely had coats
of arms.

In the case of Landry, the surname Landry and its many variants can be traced
to as far back as 380 in the person of Saint Landry, bishop of SEEZ.

Now if Saint Landry didn't have a family crest at that time, he surely was
entitled to one as bishop.

There was in addition to this Landry another Saint landry, bishop of paris
650-661, who is the saint in whose honor the church and civil parish in
Louisiana was named for. he too would have had a crest for his episcopacy.

There was also a 6th century Landry who was mayor of the palace at Frankish
Neutrasia (Paris), who because of his high position as may of the palace
(prime minister) and military leader would have had a crest.
There was also a knight of the tower (la tour Landry), a number of other
bishops and crusaders, etc. named Landry.

Now I would never be so bold as to claim direct lineage to these noble
Landrys, but some Landry, possibly including me, descend from these ancient
Landrys.

So please don't burst the bubble of those who want to believe that their
families are entitled to use a coat of arms.

Don Landry

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