A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bodenstein family of Germany.
Reg. 5503 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Parti de sa. et d'or ou d'or et de sa.; au croiss. montant de l'un en l'autre, chaque corne sommée d'une étoile de l'un à l'autre; à une étoile de l'un à l'autre, posée au centre de l'écu entre les cornes du croiss., br. sur le parti. C.: les meubles de l'écu, soutenues d'un bonnet écartelé d'or et de sa.”
GermanyNuremberg, c. 1765
Where the Bodenstein Arms Were Recorded
Nuremberg
Map of Germany showing where the Bodenstein arms are recorded
The Bodenstein arms were recorded in Nuremberg, c. 1765.
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 Bodenstein 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 Bodenstein Family in Germany
The surname Bodenstein is a topographic name, which means it was originally derived from a specific place rather than a person’s occupation or personality. In German, the name combines the words "Boden," meaning ground or floor, and "Stein," meaning stone. This suggests that the earliest families to carry the name likely lived near a prominent stone foundation or a rocky piece of land. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the Bodenstein family were well-established in the city of Nuremberg. During this period, Nuremberg was a major center for trade and craftsmanship, and families like the Bodensteins were often integrated into the city’s active merchant and artisan classes. As the family grew, they moved through the various social layers of the Holy Roman Empire, leaving behind a legacy tied to the geography of their ancestral homes.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Boden and Stein
Ground or floor and stone or rock.
This name
BodensteinA topographic name for someone living near a stone-based foundation or rocky ground.
also spelled
Bodensteyn
Bodenstine
Bodenstien
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
Stadtarchiv Nürnberg, Bürgerbücher der Reichsstadt Nürnberg, 1765
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
