A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dörr family of Austria.
Reg. 8471 · Austrian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
gauntletA challenge given and the readiness to meet it
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. à un gantelet senestre, appaumé, d'arg., les doigts en haut; aux 2 et 3 d'arg. au canton sen. de gu. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1° un vol aux armes du 1; 2° deux prob., coupées alt. de gu. et d'arg.”
Austriac. 1772
Where the Dörr Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Dörr arms are recorded
The Dörr arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1772.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried 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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Dörr Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Dörr arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Dörr Family in Austria
The surname Dörr is rooted in the Middle High German word *tor*, which refers to a gate or a door. Historically, this name functioned as a topographic identifier for families who lived near the entrance of a walled town or a fortified estate. By the time members of the family were documented in the Tyrol region in 1772, the name had already become a well-established surname across German-speaking lands. Families bearing this name were often associated with the agricultural and artisan classes that formed the backbone of Alpine society. Because the name was linked to a common physical feature of the landscape, it emerged independently in several different locations rather than originating from a single ancestral home. This pattern of naming reflects how medieval communities identified individuals by their immediate surroundings and daily life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Durr
Derived from the Middle High German word for dry or barren.
This name
DörrAn occupational surname for a person who lived on dry land or a nickname for a thin person.
also spelled
Dor
Dore
Related arms
* **d'or:**variant spelling
Dorévariant spelling
Dorervariant spelling
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
Kohlheim, Rosa and Volker Kohlheim, Duden Familiennamen: Herkunft und Bedeutung von 20.000 Nachnamen, 2005
Tiroler Landesarchiv, Tiroler Steuerkataster (Steuerkataster der gefürsteten Grafschaft Tirol), 1772
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
gauntletA challenge given and the readiness to meet it
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
gauntletA challenge given and the readiness to meet it
