A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bils family of Austria.
Reg. 2943 · Austrian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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 coupé d'or sur sa.; à une épée d'arg., garnie d'or, posée en pal, br. sur le coupé; au 2 de gu. à un rocher, au nat., mouv. de la p., sommé d'une tour carrée d'arg. en ruines, aj. de deux pièces de sa., l'une sur l'autre. Cq. cour. C.: une aigle de sa. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Austriac. 1860
Where the Bils Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Bils arms are recorded
The Bils arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1860.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried arms.
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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1860
Granting Authority for the Bils Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Sovereign of the period
Franz Joseph I of Austria
1848–1916
Reigning in Austria when the Bils arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Bils Family in Austria
The family name Bils is deeply rooted in the mountainous landscape of the Tyrol region, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1860. The name likely originated as a topographic or habitational surname, which was common practice in the Alpine territories during the nineteenth century. Families in this area often took names based on the specific valley, farmstead, or small village where they lived and worked. Because Tyrol served as a vital crossroads between Germanic and Italian cultures, the name Bils may have evolved from local dialects used by mountain farmers or traders navigating the mountain passes. By the mid-1800s, individuals bearing this name were well-established within the local social structure, contributing to the agricultural and communal life of the region during a time of significant political transition in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bili
Old High German word meaning gentle, kind, or fair.
This name
BilsA patronymic surname derived from a short form of ancient Germanic personal names containing the element bil.
also spelled
Byls
Bilsen
Bylse
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tiroler Landesarchiv, Zivilstandsregister der Pfarreien in Tirol (1860)
Huter, Franz, Tiroler Urkundenbuch (1937)
Steub, Ludwig, Zur Ethnographie der deutschen Alpen (1856)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
swordJustice, and military honour
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
swordJustice, and military honour
