A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Butz family of Germany.
Reg. 8570 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bullValour and generosity
Colours
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'or au boeuf nais., au nat., celui du 1 cont.; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à un puits avec son appareil, au nat., posé sur une terrasse du même. Cq. cour. C.: un homme d'armes iss., la visière levée, le casque panaché de gu., d'arg. et d'or, tenant de sa main dextre une pertuisane d'or, emm. d'arg. L. d'or et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1694
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Map of Germany showing where the Butz arms are recorded
The Butz arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1694.
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.
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
1658–1705
Reigning in Germany when the Butz 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 Butz Family in Germany
The surname Butz is rooted in the Germanic linguistic tradition, where it likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a shortened form of personal names like Burkhard. By the late 17th century, the family was firmly established in the Bavarian region, a time when many families were beginning to solidify their surnames in official church and civil records. In 1694, individuals bearing the name were active participants in the agricultural and social life of the Bavarian countryside. During this era, life for the Butz family revolved around the rhythms of village existence, where they often worked as skilled laborers or farmers. As the population grew and communities expanded, the family name became a permanent fixture in local parish registers, documenting their baptisms, marriages, and daily contributions to the regional history of southern Germany.
Butz Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Butze
A Middle High German term for a ghost, goblin, or bogeyman.
This name
ButzA nickname for a person perceived as frightening, eccentric, or a prankster.
also spelled
Buts
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon, 1967
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
bullValour and generosity
bullValour and generosity
