A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bentele family of Germany.
Reg. 2497 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 d'or à un cep de vigne arr., feuillé de trois pièces de sin. et fruité de deux grappes de raisins au nat.; au 2 d'azur à une ancre sans trabe d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: un vol, l'aile dextre aux armes du 1, la sen. aux armes du 2. L.: à dextre d'or et de sin., à sen. d'or et d'azur.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1780
Where the Bentele Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Bentele arms are recorded
The Bentele arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1780.
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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Bentele 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Bentele Family in Germany
The Bentele surname originates from the southern regions of Germany, particularly within the historical borders of Bavaria. Linguistic experts believe the name evolved as a variation of the Middle High German term "bendel," which referred to a ribbon or a decorative band. In the medieval period, this name likely functioned as a descriptive nickname for a person who worked as a ribbon maker or a merchant who sold trimmings for clothing. By the time records place the family firmly in Bavaria during the late 1700s, the name had become a stable hereditary surname passed down through generations of rural craftsmen and farmers. These early ancestors lived through a time of significant agricultural transition in the Alpine foothills, where their family identity became deeply rooted in the local village culture and the traditions of the Bavarian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Benedictus
Latin term meaning blessed or well spoken of.
This name
BenteleA diminutive or Alemannic variant derived from the name Benedict, signifying one who is blessed.
also spelled
Bentel
Bentelee
Bentell
Bentely
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
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
