Map of Germany showing where the Biehl arms are recorded
The Biehl arms were recorded in Francfort s, c. 1765.
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 Biehl 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 Biehl Family in Germany
The surname Biehl is a German habitational name that likely originated as a descriptive term for people living near a specific landscape feature. The name is derived from the Middle High German word buehel, which refers to a small hill or a mound of earth. Families carrying this name were often identified by their proximity to these geographic landmarks in the regions surrounding the Rhine River. By 1765, records confirm that members of the Biehl family were well established in Frankfurt. At this time, Frankfurt served as a major center for trade and commerce, attracting families who worked as skilled craftsmen or merchants. These early ancestors were part of a growing urban population that helped shape the city into a hub for European business and culture during the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Biel
A Middle High German term referring to a hatchet or axe.
This name
BiehlAn occupational surname for a person who worked as a woodcutter or axe maker.
also spelled
Byhl
Biel
Beel
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
Institut für Stadtgeschichte Frankfurt am Main, Bürgerbücher der Stadt Frankfurt am Main
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
