A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bittel family of Germany.
Reg. 0696 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
unicornPurity, and extreme courage in defence of honour
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
vol / wingsSwiftness and protection
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de sa. à la licorne ramp. d'arg.; aux 2 et 3 d'or à la bande d'azur, ch. de trois fleurs-de-lis d'arg., posées en barres. C.: un vol aux armes de l'écu (sur l'aile dextre la bande est transformée en barre.) L. d'or et de sa.”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
Where the Bittel Arms Were Recorded
Franconia
Map of Germany showing where the Bittel arms are recorded
The Bittel arms were recorded in Franconia, c. 1765.
Franconia was a patchwork of small territories in central Germany, full of minor landowners and prosperous market towns. So many separate households held land there that the region produced a great many coats of 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.
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 Bittel 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 Franconia.
Origin & History of the Bittel Family in Germany
The Bittel family name has deep roots in the Franconia region of Germany, where records confirm their presence as early as 1765. The name is classified as a topographic or habitational surname, which suggests that the earliest ancestors likely earned the name by living near a specific landmark or a small settlement. In the German language, names ending in the suffix -el often functioned as diminutives, implying that the original Bittel might have been a nickname for a person of small stature or someone who lived on a modest plot of land. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family was well-established within the local agricultural and village communities of the Franconian landscape. These early generations lived through a period of significant social change in the Holy Roman Empire, where they contributed to the local economy as farmers and tradespeople. Their history reflects the broader movement of families who maintained strong ties to their ancestral villages while navigating the complex regional politics of eighteenth-century Bavaria and its surrounding territories.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bodo
A Germanic personal name derived from the word for messenger or herald.
This name
BittelA diminutive form indicating a descendant or follower of someone named Bodo.
also spelled
Byttel
Bitel
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 Familiennamen, geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
State Archive of Bamberg (Staatsarchiv Bamberg), Standesamtliche Unterlagen und Kirchenbücher der Region Franken, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
unicornPurity, and extreme courage in defence of honour
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
vol / wingsSwiftness and protection
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
unicornPurity, and extreme courage in defence of honour
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
vol / wingsSwiftness and protection
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
