A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bernhardt family of Germany.
Reg. 3689 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 l'ours ramp. de sa., bouclé d'or, tenant une pique du même, sur son épaule. C.: l'ours, iss. L. de gu. et de sa.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Bernhardt Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Bernhardt arms are recorded
The Bernhardt arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Bernhardt 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 Bernhardt Family in Germany
The surname Bernhardt originates from the ancient Germanic personal name Bernhard, which combines the words for bear and brave or hardy. This name was highly popular among nobility and commoners alike throughout the Middle Ages, eventually becoming a hereditary family name as populations grew and record-keeping became more formal. By the mid-eighteenth century, families carrying this name were well-established in the Bavarian region of Germany. In 1765, individuals named Bernhardt were integrated into the local social and economic fabric of Bavaria, likely working as farmers, craftsmen, or tradespeople within their village communities. Because the name was tied to the cultural identity of the Germanic tribes, it remained a common identifier for families who lived in the rural landscapes of southern Germany for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bernhard
Derived from the Germanic elements for bear and brave or hardy.
This name
BernhardtA surname meaning brave as a bear or strong as a bear.
also spelled
Bernhart
Bernhard
Barnhart
Related arms
Bernhardvariant spelling
Bernhartvariant spelling
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
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
