A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Altendorf family of Germany.
Reg. 6661 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 bandé d'azur et d'arg., de quatre pièces; au 2 d'or à la demi-aigle de sa., mouv. du parti. Cq. cour. C.: un lion assis d'or, posé de front; entre deux prob. coupées, à dextre d'arg. sur azur, à sen. de sa. sur or; ledit lion empoignant de ses pattes les prob. L. conformes aux émaux des prob.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Altendorf Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Altendorf arms are recorded
The Altendorf 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 Altendorf 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 Altendorf Family in Germany
The surname Altendorf is a locational name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe. In the German language, the name is composed of two parts: alt, meaning old, and dorf, meaning village. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name likely lived in or near a settlement known as the old village. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the Altendorf family were established in the region of Bavaria. During this period, families often took their surnames from the specific geographic features or the names of the towns where they resided. These early Bavarian families were likely involved in agricultural life, as the name itself is deeply connected to the rural landscape of the time. As the family grew, the name served as a way to identify their origins and maintain a connection to their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Alt-Dorf
Old village or ancient settlement.
This name
AltendorfRefers to a person who originated from an old or established village.
also spelled
Altendorff
Altendorfer
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
