Arms of the Carrière Family Association of North America

Blazon

Quarterly Azure and Gules, a cross Argent semé-de-lis Azure between in the first quarter a plough, in the second three rifles in bivouac, in the third two feathers in saltire, and in the fourth a garb, all Or;

Symbolism

The blue, white and red colours recall the French origins of the Carrière families of North America, since these colours were present on the flags of the Compagnie franche de la Marine and on those of France. For the Carrières, these colours symbolize loyalty, serenity, courage and the creative abilities that their families have demonstrated. They also refer to the French Regime and to the neutrality of their families in the early days of the colony and during the British Conquest. They now reflect the cultural diversity among the families. The cross bears witness to the character and religious heritage of the Carrière families. The fleurs-de-lis express the loyalty and fidelity to France of the first ancestors in America as well as the military involvement of their forefather, Pierre Jamme. The farmer's plough symbolizes the original occupation of their ancestor in France. The rifles, arranged as a bivouac, allude to the military profession that Pierre Jamme adopted as a soldier in New France. The feathers, used to sign documents in the early days of the colony, indicate that this ancestor knew how to write. They also refer to the liberation of his wife from captivity as a result of the negotiations leading to the signature of the Great Peace of Montreal Treaty in 1701. Finally, the wheat sheaf recalls the relentless toil of the first settlers on Canadian soil to make the land productive and to feed their descendants. The plough, the rifles, the feathers and the wheat sheaf are all yellow, a colour that symbolizes generosity, work and perseverance for the Carrières.