A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bockelman family of Germany.
Reg. 0669 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
goats headWisdom, and one who wins by policy rather than force
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à une tête et col de bouc d'or; au chef du même. Cq. cour. C.: un vol à l'antique de gu. au chef d'or.”
GermanyBrunswick, c. 1797
Where the Bockelman Arms Were Recorded
Brunswick
Map of Germany showing where the Bockelman arms are recorded
The Bockelman arms were recorded in Brunswick, c. 1797.
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 II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
1792–1806
Reigning in Germany when the Bockelman 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 Bockelman Family in Germany
The name Bockelman is deeply rooted in the Low German linguistic tradition, likely originating as a descriptive surname for an individual who lived near a specific landmark or held a particular occupation. The prefix "Bock" often referred to a male goat or a buck, while the suffix "man" was a common way to identify a person by their residence or trade. By the late 18th century, the family was well-established in the region of Brunswick, which was then a prominent center within the Holy Roman Empire. Records confirm that members of the family were active in this area by 1797, living through a period of significant political transition as the region moved toward the era of the Napoleonic Wars. During this time, families in Brunswick were typically integrated into the local guild systems or agricultural networks that defined the social structure of Northern Germany. The survival of these early records suggests that the Bockelmans were part of a stable, settled population that contributed to the local economy and community life of the city for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Buck
A male deer or goat.
This name
BockelmanA person who lived near a place frequented by male deer.
also spelled
Bockelmann
Bokelman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Stadtarchiv Braunschweig, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Braunschweig (1797)
Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv, Personenstandsregister der Stadt Braunschweig
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt (1967)
Udolph, Jürgen, Die Ortsnamen der Stadt Braunschweig (1994)
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