A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Casper family of Germany.
Reg. 4108 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
camelPatience and perseverance under burden
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“D'arg. à une tête de More, posée de front, portant un collier de plumages; le champ chapé-ployé, à dextre de gu. à une étoile d'or, à sen. d'azur à un chameau au nat., bridé et houssé d'or, la tête sommée d'un plumail du même, pass. sur un tertre de sin. Trois cq. cour. C.: 1° trois pl. d'aut., une d'or entre deux de sa.; 2° la tête et col du chameau, entre un vol, l'aile dextre de gu. ch. d'une barre d'arg. surch. d'une flèche de gu., la pointe en bas; l'aile sen. d'arg. à la bande de gu. ch. d'une étoile d'or; 3° trois pl. d'aut., une d'arg. entre deux d'azur. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'or et de sa.”
Germanyc. 1772
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Map of Germany showing where the Casper arms are recorded
The Casper arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1772.
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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Casper 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 Casper Family in Germany
The name Casper originates from the ancient Persian name Kaspar, which translates to keeper of the treasure. As the name spread across Europe, it became closely linked to the story of the Three Wise Men, which helped it gain popularity as a given name throughout the German-speaking regions. By the time your ancestors were established in Bavaria in 1772, the name had transitioned from a personal name into a hereditary surname. Families living in Bavaria during this period were often tied to the land and local trade guilds, meaning the Casper name likely identified a household that played a specific role in their village community. These early families lived through a time of significant transition in the Holy Roman Empire, where record-keeping began to shift from simple church registries to more formal civil documentation. This evolution allowed the Casper name to be preserved across generations as the family moved through the changing political landscape of southern Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Kaspar
Derived from the Persian word for treasurer or keeper of treasure.
This name
CasperA German surname originating from a given name meaning treasurer or master of the treasure.
also spelled
Kaspar
Casper
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
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
camelPatience and perseverance under burden
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
camelPatience and perseverance under burden
