A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Closter family of Germany.
Reg. 9749 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“D'arg. à une rose de gu., bout. d'or, acc. de trois fers de flèche de sa., posés en pairle, les pieds aboutissant dans la rose. C.: les meubles de l'écu, entre un vol d'arg. L. d'arg. et de gu. — Armes mod.: Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'azur à trois flèches d'arg., deux passées en saut. et la troisième br. en pal; aux 2 et 3 d'arg. à une rose de gu. Cq. cour. C.: une rose de gu., sommée d'une flèche de sa.; entre un vol coupé alt. d'azur et d'arg. L.: à dextre d'arg et de gu., à sen. d'arg. et d'azur.”
GermanyHan, c. 1765
Where the Closter Arms Were Recorded
Han
Map of Germany showing where the Closter arms are recorded
The Closter arms were recorded in Han, c. 1765.
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 Closter 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 Closter Family in Germany
The surname Closter is rooted in the German language and is traditionally associated with the word for a monastery or cloister. Families bearing this name often lived near these religious sites or served the monastic communities that were central to medieval life. By 1765, records confirm that members of the Closter family were established in the town of Han, which is located in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. During this period, families in this area were frequently involved in agriculture or local trade, and their lives were deeply connected to the village structure of the time. As the family grew, their presence in Han helped shape the local community, reflecting the broader patterns of migration and settlement seen across the German states during the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Claustrum
A Latin term referring to an enclosed place, barrier, or lock.
This name
ClosterAn occupational or topographic name for someone who lived near or worked at a monastery.
also spelled
Kloster
Clostre
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Government Archives: Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen, Personenstandsregister (Civil Registration Records) for the Han/Menden region
Historical Records: Kirchenbuch der katholischen Kirchengemeinde Menden (Church records of the Catholic parish of Menden), 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
arms pheon arrowheadReadiness for battle, and the broad arrow of the sovereign
