A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Beilstein family of Germany.
Reg. 3633 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
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 trois cors-de-chasse d'arg., liés, pavillonnés, vir. et eng. d'or. Cq. cour. C.: une aigle ép. de sa., bq. et m. et chaque tête cour. d'or, ch. sur sa poitrine du chiffre F. I. du même. L.: d'arg. et de gu. S.: deux lions reg. d'or.”
Germanyc. 1725
Where the Beilstein Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Beilstein arms are recorded
The Beilstein arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1725.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
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.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Germany when the Beilstein 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Beilstein Family in Germany
The surname Beilstein is a locational name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe. It is derived from the Middle High German words "beil," meaning axe or hatchet, and "stein," meaning stone. This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent rock formation or a landmark shaped like an axe. By 1725, records confirm that members of the Beilstein family were well-established in the Bavarian region. During this era, families often identified themselves by the specific villages or geographical features near their homes. As the family moved and grew, the name served as a permanent link to their ancestral landscape in the rolling hills and forests of southern Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Beil + Stein
A hatchet or axe combined with a stone or rock.
This name
BeilsteinLikely refers to a stonecutter, a quarry worker, or someone living near a rocky outcrop.
also spelled
Bylstine
Bylsteen
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
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
