A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Blankenberg family of Germany.
Reg. 6388 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cramponFirm hold on what has been gained
Colours
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)
“Coupé de gu. sur arg.; au crampon d'arg., posé en pal, br. sur le tout, ayant un anneau en haut et un croc en bas, et traversé sur la ligne du coupé d'une tige d'arg. en barre. C.: deux pl. d'aut., de gu. et d'arg.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
Where the Blankenberg Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Blankenberg arms are recorded
The Blankenberg arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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 Blankenberg 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Blankenberg Family in Germany
The family name Blankenberg is a topographical surname, which means it was originally derived from the physical landscape where the first family members lived. In German, the name combines the words "blank," meaning bright or bare, and "berg," meaning mountain or hill. This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely resided near a prominent, treeless, or light-colored hill in the Bavarian region. By the year 1765, records confirm that the family was well-established within the social and agricultural fabric of Bavaria. During this period, families with this name were often connected to the local rural economy, where their identity was closely tied to the specific geography of their home village. As the family grew, the name served as a way to distinguish them from others in the community by highlighting their ancestral connection to the distinct terrain of the Bavarian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
blank and berg
The German words for white or bare and mountain or hill.
This name
BlankenbergA topographic name for someone who lived near a bare, treeless, or white-colored mountain or hill.
also spelled
Blankenbergg
Blankenberge
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kurbayern Hofkammer: Steuer- und Katasterwesen, 1765
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1954
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cramponFirm hold on what has been gained
cramponFirm hold on what has been gained
