A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dunker family of Germany.
Reg. 2594 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
bombOne who has faced a great siege
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à la fasce voûtée d'or, ch. de trois boules d'azur et acc. en p. d'une bombe à deux anses au nat., allumée de gu.”
GermanyPrusse orientale, c. 1765
Where the Dunker Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Dunker arms are recorded
The Dunker arms were recorded in Prusse orientale, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Dunker 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 Dunker Family in Germany
The surname Dunker is rooted in the linguistic history of the Germanic regions, where it likely originated as a descriptive name or a professional title. In the Middle Ages, names were often tied to a person's trade, their physical traits, or the specific location where they lived. For the Dunker family, historical records confirm their presence in the region of Bavaria by 1765. During this period, Bavaria was a collection of territories undergoing significant social and agricultural changes. Families with this name were typically integrated into the local community as farmers, craftsmen, or tradespeople who contributed to the stability of their villages. As the family grew, they became part of the long tradition of German migration and local development that defined the eighteenth-century landscape. By tracking their presence in Bavarian parish registers and regional tax documents, we can see that the Dunker family was well-established within the social fabric of the time.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
dunk
A Middle Low German term referring to a dark or murky pool.
This name
DunkerAn occupational or topographic name for someone who lived near a dark pond.
also spelled
Dunkar
Related arms
Dhünckervariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
bombOne who has faced a great siege
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
bombOne who has faced a great siege
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
