A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dalberg family of Germany.
Reg. 6087 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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'or à la croix ancrée de sa. C.: un vol, aux armes de l'écu [V. Kämmerer von Worms barons von und zu Dalberg.]”
SwabiaSwabia, c. 1765
Where the Dalberg Arms Were Recorded
Swabia
Map of Germany showing where the Dalberg arms are recorded
The Dalberg 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 Dalberg 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 Dalberg Family in Germany
The Dalberg family name is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of southwestern Germany. By the middle of the eighteenth century, members of the family were firmly established in the Swabian region, a territory known for its complex social structures and agricultural traditions. During this era, families like the Dalbergs often lived in small rural communities where they played essential roles in local governance and trade. The name itself reflects the linguistic patterns of the time, likely originating from a combination of geographic markers that identified where the family resided or held land. As the family grew, they became integrated into the fabric of Swabian society, contributing to the development of the local economy and the preservation of regional customs. Their presence in 1765 serves as a clear historical anchor, showing that the family was already well-positioned within the social hierarchy of the Holy Roman Empire during a period of significant cultural transition.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dal and Berg
A valley and a mountain or hill.
This name
DalbergRefers to a person who lived near a mountain located in a valley.
also spelled
Dahlberg
Dalbergh
Related arms
Dahlbergvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bader, Karl S., Der deutsche Südwesten in seiner territorialgeschichtlichen Entwicklung, 1950
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Bestand H 101: Familienarchive und Nachlässe, 1765
Schmid, Josef, Geschichte des schwäbischen Adels und Bürgertums, 1922
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
