A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bats family of Germany.
Reg. 2448 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
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)
“Parti: au 1 de gu. à un homme, hab. d'arg., coiffé d'un chapeau du même, tenant de sa main dextre un bâton et de sa sen. une bible ouv., et marchant sur un terrain”
WurttembergWurttemberg, c. 1838
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Map of Germany showing where the Bats arms are recorded
The Bats arms were recorded in Wurttemberg, c. 1838.
Wurttemberg was southern German country of small estates and well-off market towns. Both landowners and leading townsmen kept arms there, so the region carries far more names than its size suggests.
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.
Frederick William III of Prussia
Sovereign of the period
Frederick William III of Prussia
1797–1840
Reigning in Germany when the Bats arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
Prussian heraldry was strictly tied to social rank and noble status rather than being a free choice for every citizen. These symbols were treated as permanent family property that moved through the generations to all legitimate heirs. If a family branch wanted to change their design to stand out, they had to apply for official permission to alter their specific version of the shield.
Granting authority
The Prussian Heroldsamt acted as the central state office that managed and strictly controlled all noble titles and coats of arms.
How they got arms
Families usually obtained their arms through formal royal grants or by proving their long-standing noble status to the state authorities.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms were kept in the rolls of the Prussian Heroldsamt, which functioned from 1706 until 1918.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Wurttemberg.
Origin & History of the Bats Family in Germany
The family name Bats has deep roots in the historical region of Württemberg, where members of the family were documented as early as 1838. During the nineteenth century, this area was characterized by a transition from traditional agricultural life to the early stages of industrial growth. Families with this surname were often part of the hardworking rural population that shaped the local economy through farming and skilled craftsmanship. As the region underwent political changes and modernization, the Bats family became part of the steady social fabric that defined the German states before the unification of the country. By tracking their presence in these local records, we can see that the family was well-established within their community long before the major migrations of the later century. Their history reflects the typical experience of families in southwestern Germany who maintained strong ties to their home villages while navigating the evolving landscape of the nineteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bartholomaeus
Son of Talmai, meaning abounding in furrows or rich in land.
This name
BatsA patronymic surname derived from a shortened form of the biblical name Bartholomew.
also spelled
Batzs
Batzh
Batzze
Bats
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Königlich Württembergisches Statistisch-Topographisches Bureau, Beschreibung des Oberamts, 1838
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Bestand E 151: Württembergische Zivilstandsregister
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