A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bunzel family of Germany.
Reg. 4386 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
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. au lion d'or, posé entre deux cotices d'arg. et tenant de sa patte dextre une fleur-de-lis d'or. Cq. cour. C.: le lion, iss., entre deux prob. coupées, à dextre d'or sur sa., à sen. de gu. sur arg. L.: conformes aux émaux des prob.”
Germanyc. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Bunzel arms are recorded
The Bunzel arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Bunzel 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 Bunzel Family in Germany
The surname Bunzel is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Bavaria, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1765. The name is generally classified as a locational or habitational surname, likely derived from the town of Bunzlau in the historical region of Silesia. During the eighteenth century, families often moved across German-speaking territories for trade or agricultural opportunities, which explains how the name migrated from its eastern origins to settle in the Bavarian countryside. As members of the family integrated into their new communities, they likely worked as craftsmen, farmers, or merchants, contributing to the local economy of the region. Over generations, the spelling of the name remained relatively stable, serving as a linguistic link to the family's ancestral past while they built their lives in southern Germany.
Bunzel Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Bunzel
Derived from the Middle High German word for a small bun.
This name
BunzelA topographic or occupational name for a baker or someone who made small bread rolls.
also spelled
Bunzell
Bunzele
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 Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
