A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Auerswald family of Germany.
Reg. 0194 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
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 deux léopards d'arg., l'un sur l'autre. C.: une tête et col de buffle d'arg.”
SaxonySaxony, c. 1765
Where the Auerswald Arms Were Recorded
Saxony
Map of Germany showing where the Auerswald arms are recorded
The Auerswald arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1765.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often 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 Auerswald 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 Saxony.
Origin & History of the Auerswald Family in Germany
The family name Auerswald originates from the German language and is a topographic surname, meaning it was likely derived from a specific place name. The name combines the words "Auer," which refers to a meadow or a wild ox, and "Wald," which means forest. This suggests that the earliest ancestors of the family lived near a meadow located within or bordering a wooded area. By the year 1765, the family was well-established in the region of Saxony, a historic area in eastern Germany known for its rich cultural and industrial development. During this period, families in Saxony often identified themselves by the landscapes they inhabited, and the name Auerswald served as a clear marker of their geographic roots. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the agricultural and administrative life of the Saxon countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Auer and Wald
Meadow or wild mountain pasture and a wooded forest area.
This name
AuerswaldRefers to a person who lived near a meadow located within a forest.
also spelled
Aurswald
Auerswalt
Owerswald
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
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche Sachsens, 1765
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
