A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Butzke family of Germany.
Reg. 6860 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
wolfReward from long service and hard work
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à la fasce de gu., acc. de deux loups courants du même, 1 en chef et 1 en p. C.: trois piques d'arg., emm. au nat., les pointes en bas, soutenues chacune d'une rose de gu.”
PomeraniaPomerania, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Butzke arms are recorded
The Butzke arms were recorded in Pomerania, c. 1765.
Pomerania was flat farming country on the Baltic coast, held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations, and generations of landholding is what fills 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 Butzke 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 Pomerania.
Origin & History of the Butzke Family in Germany
The surname Butzke is deeply rooted in the historical region of Pomerania, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1765. The name likely originated as a diminutive form of the Middle Low German word "butze," which could refer to a small person, a short object, or even a playful term for a spirit or goblin. During the eighteenth century, the Pomeranian landscape was defined by rural agricultural life, and families like the Butzkes were often tied to the land as farmers or village craftsmen. Because Pomerania was part of the Kingdom of Prussia at that time, the family lived through a period of significant administrative growth and social change. Over generations, the name spread from its early clusters in Pomeranian villages to become a distinct identifier for families who maintained strong ties to their local community and regional heritage.
Butzke Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Budz
A Slavic diminutive form of the name Budislav or Budimir.
This name
ButzkeA Germanized patronymic surname derived from the Slavic personal name Budz, meaning awakened or alert.
also spelled
Butske
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
Landesarchiv Greifswald, Kirchenbücher der Provinz Pommern
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
wolfReward from long service and hard work
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
wolfReward from long service and hard work
