A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Auel family of Germany.
Reg. 5649 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
vairProtection, and the winter fur
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à la fasce d'arg., ch. de trois pièces de vair renv. d'azur. C.: un chapeau de sa., retr. de gu., entre deux prob. d'azur et d'arg. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
Where the Auel Arms Were Recorded
Westphalia
Map of Germany showing where the Auel arms are recorded
The Auel arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought 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 Auel 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Auel Family in Germany
The family name Auel finds its historical roots in the Westphalia region of Germany. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area. The name is likely topographic in origin, which means it was often used to describe people who lived near a specific landscape feature, such as a meadow or a low-lying area near a river. In the local Westphalian dialect, the term often related to damp or marshy ground. Families in this region during the 1700s were typically tied to the land through farming or local trades. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the rural communities that defined Westphalian life before the industrial changes of the following century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Aue
A meadow or land situated near a body of water.
This name
AuelA topographic name for someone who lived near a meadow or riverbank.
also spelled
Aul
Owel
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
Heimatverein für den Kreis Unna, Geschichtsblätter des Kreises Unna, 1970
Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen, Kirchenbücher der evangelischen und katholischen Kirchengemeinden in Westfalen, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
