The Distinguished Surname Babine

The Babine Family Coat of Arms

A blue shield with a gold chevron between two silver stars in chief and a silver crescent in base. Heraldry emerged in France in the mid-12th century, beginning with the knights and nobility choosing coats of arms for themselves. It was not much later that the other social classes such as the bourgeois, and even peasants were assuming arms.

By the 16th century, the French Kings had begun attempts to register and regulate coats of arms under their authority. Following the French Revolution, in 1790, nobility, orders of knighthood and heraldry were abolished in France. The display of coats of arms was banned, until Napoleon re-established heraldry and titles in 1814. Today, there is no French Heraldic authority granting or registering arms: anyone is free to assume arms.

In France, a coat of arms is considered property of the family in the same way as the family name, and enjoys the same legal protection.

Blue was called "azure" by heralds, and represents the color of an eastern sky on a clear day. It also corresponds to the metal tin. The word, “azure” was introduced from the east during the Crusades. It signifies piety and sincerity, and is equated with autumn. In engravings it is represented by horizontal lines.

Gold, or in heraldic terms "or," was considered the noblest color. One of only two metals used in heraldry, it exceeds all others in value, purity and finesse. It represents the light of the sun, and was once borne only by princes.

Gold is said to gladden the heart and destroy all works of magic. It is also associated with excellence and achievement, and the bearer surpasses all others in valour. It is represented on coats of arms by the color yellow, and in engravings by an indefinite number of small points.

The chevron occurs frequently in British and French heraldry, while it is comparatively rare in German heraldry. The chevron represents the roof of a house, derived from the French word "chevron" meaning rafter. It signifies protection. The chevron was granted to those who had participated in some notable enterprise, had built churches or fortresses, or had accomplished some work requiring faithful service.

Formerly, heralds would draw the chevron almost reaching the top of the shield, with it nearly attaining a third of the surface of the shield. More recently, the chevron is drawn lower and with a less acute inner angle to allow more devices to be represented more attractively, and the artist may draw the chevron at the height and angle that will best suit the accompanying charges.

The chevronel, is the diminutive of the chevron and is much narrower. Chevronels may be stacked on top of each other or side-by-side at the same height, which is termed interlaced, or braced. A field composed entirely of an even number of chevrons is called "chevronny."

Silver, known by the French term "argent," is one of the two metals used in heraldry. It is usually represented on a shield by the colors gray or white. This metal represents nobility, peace and serenity. It is associated with the qualities of purity and chastity, because the metal withstands the test of fire.

The star, or mullet, in heraldry, is often considered a symbol of truth, the spirit and of hope. The star can denote a divine quality and is a symbol of constancy, and celestial goodness. Its meaning can also depend upon the number and sometimes the orientation of its points. A star of some form constitutes part of the insignia of every order of knighthood. Many cultures throughout antiquity have used the star as a talisman or national insignia. An estoile is a star with wavy points, and stands for God's goodness.

In England, a mullet has five points unless another number is specified, while an estoile will have six. In Scotland, a mullet is always pierced (has a hole in the center), while a star is not. In France the definition of a mullet is different yet again, where it has no less than six points.

The chief is a horizontal band across the top of the shield that stands for authority and domination of will. The chief has often been granted as a special reward for prudence and wisdom, as well as for successful command in war. The chief theoretically contains the upper 1/3 of the shield, although it rarely actually does. The chief is never surmounted by any other ordinary (a simple background symbol) except for in very exceptional cases.

The crescent stands for one who has been "enlightened and honored by the gracious aspect of his sovereign." It is also borne as a symbol of the hope of greater glory. Knights returning from the crusades introduced the crescent, the badge of Islam, into the language of heraldry. The heraldic crescent has a very deep base and curving horns that quickly sharpen to points close together.

Crescents also represent the moon that lights the night sky for travelers, though it does not resemble the shape of a crescent moon very closely. In English arms it was also a mark of cadency signifying the second son. The reversed crescent is a crescent with the horns turned down. The term increscent indicates a crescent with the horns facing the observer’s left, and decrescent is a crescent facing the observer’s right.

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