A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Altman family of Germany.
Reg. 7511 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. à une tête de vieillard barbu, au nat.; aux 2 et 3 d'or au chev. d'azur, la cime en forme de losange d'arg. C.: un buste de vieillard, hab. d'azur; entre deux prob. coupées, à dextre de gu. sur arg., à sen. d'azur sur or, ornées chacune dans son embouchure de trois pl. d'aut., à dextre d'une d'azur entre deux d'or, à sen. une de gu. entre deux d'arg. L. conformes aux émaux des prob.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1631
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Map of Germany showing where the Altman arms are recorded
The Altman arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1631.
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.
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
1619–1637
Reigning in Germany when the Altman 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Altman Family in Germany
The family name Altman has deep roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly within the historical territory of Bavaria. The name is derived from the Middle High German words "alt," meaning old, and "man," meaning man. In the medieval period, this name was often used as a descriptive term to distinguish an elder or a respected senior member of a community. By the time records place the family in Bavaria in 1631, the name had transitioned from a simple nickname into a formal hereditary surname. During this era, the region was heavily influenced by the social and economic shifts of the Thirty Years' War, which forced many families to settle in specific villages and maintain consistent records for taxation and church membership. As a result, the Altman name became firmly established in local parish registers, reflecting a long history of agricultural and civic life in southern Germany.
Altman Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Alt
Old or aged in Germanic languages.
This name
AltmanAn occupational or descriptive name referring to an elder or a senior member of a community.
also spelled
Altman
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 Familiennamen, geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
