A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Abenberg family of Germany.
Reg. 0915 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'az. à deux lions léopardés d'arg., l'un sur l'autre. Cq. cour. C.: deux cornes de buffle d'az. [Ces comtes étaient également connus sous le nom de Fransdorf ou Frensdorf].”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Abenberg Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Abenberg arms are recorded
The Abenberg arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in the registers.
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 Germany in this period.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Abenberg arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Germany.
Origin & History of the Abenberg Family in Germany
The name Abenberg is rooted in the geography of the Bavarian region, where it likely originated as a locative surname. In the German language, names ending in "berg" often refer to individuals who lived near or on a specific hill or mountain. Historical records confirm that members of the Abenberg family were established in Bavaria by 1765, living within a society deeply connected to the land and local village life. During this period, families in rural Bavaria were often defined by their trade or their proximity to local landmarks, which helped distinguish them in growing parish registers. By the mid-18th century, the family was part of the traditional social fabric of the region, participating in the agricultural and community cycles that defined life in southern Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Aben-berg
A combination of the Old High German words for river and mountain.
This name
AbenbergRefers to a person who lived near a mountain located by a river.
also spelled
Abenberch
Abenburg
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bavarian State Archives (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv), Kurbayern Hofkammer Buchhaltung
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1982
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1933
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
