A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bitz family of Germany.
Reg. 6310 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bullValour and generosity
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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 d'or au boeuf nais., au nat., celui du 1 cont.; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à un puits avec son appareil, au nat., posé sur une terrasse du même. Cq. cour. C.: un homme d'armes iss., la visière levée, le casque panaché de gu., d'arg. et d'or, tenant de sa main dextre une pertuisane d'or, emm. d'arg. L. d'or et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1694
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Map of Germany showing where the Bitz arms are recorded
The Bitz arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1694.
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.
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
1658–1705
Reigning in Germany when the Bitz 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 Bitz Family in Germany
The family name Bitz has deep roots in the southern regions of Germany, particularly within the state of Bavaria. Historical records confirm that members of the Bitz family were well-established in this area by the year 1694. During this period, the name was often associated with families living in rural farming communities or small villages. Life for these early ancestors revolved around the seasonal rhythms of agriculture and the local traditions of the Bavarian countryside. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of their local parishes, where their names were recorded in church registers during births, marriages, and deaths. These early Bitz ancestors were likely hardworking people who helped shape the local economy and culture of their region long before the modern era.
Bitz Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Bitze
A Middle High German term for a small fenced piece of land.
This name
BitzA topographic name for someone who lived near a small enclosed pasture or meadow.
also spelled
Buts
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87