Map of Germany showing where the Costner arms are recorded
The Costner arms were recorded in Swabia, c. 1765.
Swabia was broken into a great many small territories in southern Germany, and each had its own landowners and its own leading townsmen. That fragmentation produced an unusual number of families with arms.
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 Costner 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 Swabia.
Origin & History of the Costner Family in Germany
The family name Costner traces its roots to the historical region of Swabia, a territory in southwestern Germany known for its distinct cultural identity and complex political history. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this area. The name likely originated as a descriptive occupational or locational surname, which was a common practice in German-speaking lands during the eighteenth century. Families in Swabia at this time often lived in close-knit agricultural communities or small market towns. They were deeply influenced by the regional traditions and the shifting borders of the Holy Roman Empire. As these early ancestors navigated life in Swabia, they contributed to the local economy and social fabric of their villages before later generations began to migrate further afield.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Kastner
An occupational term for a granary manager or box maker.
This name
CostnerDerived from a German occupational title for someone who managed a grain storehouse.
also spelled
Kastner
Castener
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bauer, Hermann, Schwäbische Geschichte, 1960
Kohlhammer, W., Historischer Atlas von Baden-Württemberg, 1972
State Archive of Baden-Württemberg, Bestand H 101: Kirchenbücher der württembergischen Landeskirche
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