A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Apell family of Germany.
Reg. 2562 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec. d'or et d'azur: à une étoile (8) de l'un en l'autre. Cq. cour. C.: trois pl. d'aut. d'or, entre deux prob. coupées alt. d'or et d'azur.”
HesseLippe · Hesse, c. 1765
Where the Apell Arms Were Recorded
Hesse
Map of Germany showing where the Apell arms are recorded
The Apell arms were recorded in Hesse, c. 1765.
Hesse was central German country, divided among a large number of small landowners and prosperous towns. So many separate households held ground there that the region produced an unusual number of coats of arms.
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 Apell 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 Hesse.
Origin & History of the Apell Family in Germany
The family name Apell has deep roots in the historical region of Hesse, Germany, where records confirm members of the family were established by the mid-eighteenth century. During this era, Hesse was a collection of territories known for its strong agricultural traditions and distinct local governance. Families like the Apells often lived in small, tight-knit rural communities where their surname likely evolved from a local nickname or a reference to a specific geographic landmark near their home. As the region underwent social and economic changes throughout the 1700s, the Apell family integrated into the local society, often working as skilled tradespeople or landowners. Their presence in the Hessian records from 1765 suggests they were part of the stable, hardworking population that helped shape the cultural identity of the region during the transition into the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Appel
A Middle High German term referring to an apple or apple tree.
This name
ApellA topographic name for someone living near an apple orchard or a metonymic occupational name for a grower.
also spelled
Apel
Apple
Related arms
Apelvariant spelling
Apelevariant spelling
Appellvariant spelling
Bardelebenrecorded with Apell, same area
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Hessisches Staatsarchiv Marburg, Kirchenbücher der evangelischen Kirchengemeinden in Hessen, 1765
Knetsch, Carl, Die hessische Landesgeschichte, 1928
Landau, Georg, Beschreibung des Kurfürstenthums Hessen, 1842
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