A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bütow family of Germany.
Reg. 6205 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
oakGreat age, strength and steadfastness
triangleThe Trinity, and stability
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 à une branche de chêne feuillée de douze pièces de sin., posée en barre, celle du 1 englantée de deux, celle du 4 de quatre pièces; aux 2 et 3 d'arg. à un triangle de sa. Cq. cour. C.: trois roses accostées de gu. L.: à dextre d'or et de sin., à sen. d'arg. et de sa.”
Germanyc. 1818
Where the Bütow Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Bütow arms are recorded
The Bütow arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1818.
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.
Frederick William III of Prussia
Sovereign of the period
Frederick William III of Prussia
1797–1840
Reigning in Germany when the Bütow arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
Prussian heraldry was strictly tied to social rank and noble status rather than being a free choice for every citizen. These symbols were treated as permanent family property that moved through the generations to all legitimate heirs. If a family branch wanted to change their design to stand out, they had to apply for official permission to alter their specific version of the shield.
Granting authority
The Prussian Heroldsamt acted as the central state office that managed and strictly controlled all noble titles and coats of arms.
How they got arms
Families usually obtained their arms through formal royal grants or by proving their long-standing noble status to the state authorities.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms were kept in the rolls of the Prussian Heroldsamt, which functioned from 1706 until 1918.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Germany.
Origin & History of the Bütow Family in Germany
The surname Bütow is a locative name, meaning it originated from a specific place rather than a trade or personal characteristic. It is derived from the town of Bütow, which is located in the historical region of Pomerania. In the early nineteenth century, members of the family migrated from these northern territories and established a presence in Bavaria by 1818. This movement was common during the post-Napoleonic era as people sought new opportunities across the German states. As the family settled into their new Bavarian home, they carried the name of their ancestral northern town with them, preserving their regional identity through generations of migration.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bud
A Slavic term referring to a person who is awake or alert.
This name
BütowA locative surname derived from the town of Bütow in Pomerania.
also spelled
Butou
Buto
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 Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
oakGreat age, strength and steadfastness
triangleThe Trinity, and stability
oakGreat age, strength and steadfastness
triangleThe Trinity, and stability
