Coat or Arms

History and meaning

L’ASSOCIATION DES LEVASSEUR D’AMÉRIQUE was incorporated on the 21st day of March 1989 by the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs pursuant to the Canada Corporations Act. Its main objectives being to bring together the Levasseur families of America, to preserve their collective heritage, to promote research and the diffusion of historical and genealogical knowledge concerning the Levasseurs of America and to honor the memory of the ancestors Jean, Pierre and Laurent Levasseur and the achievements of their descendants with monuments, plaques and other marks of recognition.

In the early 1990 the Association wanted to have a coat of arms enabling its members to identify and distinguish themselves. Many Associations had a coat of arms but only a few were officially recognized by the chief herald of Canada.

The Association undertook the necessary steps to develop an official coat of arms. An artist was commission to prepare different proposals. Our objective was to have a simple coat of arms, not overwhelming, that would represent the origins of the two branches of Levasseur, that of Pierre and Jean, who were master builders with Laurent’s branch who was a farmer. We also wanted to represent the Levasseur from all parts of America from our origins to today and the values that animate and animated our ancestors and their descendants

After considering various models the board selected a coat of arms slightly different than the one officially recognized today. The first coat of arms had a yellow chevron and on each side there was a plow to represent Laurent’s agricultural side of the Levasseurs and on the other a chisel to represent the Pierre and Jean, master builder side of the Levasseur family. At the bottom there was a tree of unknown species.

After a few years with this coat of arms, we presented to the chief herald of Canada in November 1995 a request to provide a registered coat of arms bearing the name l’Association des Levasseur

The Coat of Arms has been granted and assigned by the Herald of Canada on October 15, 1997 to l’Association des Levasseur d’Amérique.

Arms:

Azure a chevron between an oak tree an base and a chief Argent charged with a maple leaf Gules between dexter a fleur-de-lis and sinister a mullet Azure ; And for a Motto: DU MIEUX QUE JE PUIS

The new coat of arms is simpler without the plow and the chisel. The tree is clearly defined as an oak tree.

Here is the meaning of the elements and colors in our coat of arms

SILVER : the Coat of Arms is Azure, a sky blue color that is the emblem of justice, loyalty and beauty : two characteristics of the works of our ancestors and their descendants

AZURE : A sky blue color representing justice and loyalty, a privilege to us.

CHEVRON: The Chevron (rafter form) refers to a supporting member. It signifies mutual aid and support amongst the Levasseurs. The point also symbolizes the plow of the Laurent branch of the Levasseur family.

THE OAK: tree represents the wood used by our ancestors who were sculptures and builders. It represents on the coat of arms our roots, continuity and our traditions.

FLEUR DE LYS: Represents France our country of origin.

MAPLE LEAF: The Levasseurs of Canada.

THE STAR: The Levasseurs from the United States and the five continents.

OUR MOTTO: «Du mieux que je puis» «As best as I can» (Doing the best one can) Encourages us to do the best we could do, aware of our limitations. It is a source of growth and forces us to surpass and to excel.

Canadian heraldic authority:

Click on this link to access to official letter