A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ebenstein family of Germany.
Reg. 8195 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 trois chev. de gu. C.: un panache de plumes de paon sortant d'une boule d'or, posée sur un chapeau de tournoi de gu. retr. d'arg.”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
Where the Ebenstein Arms Were Recorded
Westphalia
Map of Germany showing where the Ebenstein arms are recorded
The Ebenstein arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought 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 Ebenstein 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Ebenstein Family in Germany
The family name Ebenstein is rooted in the German-speaking regions of Europe, with documented evidence placing early members in the Westphalia region by 1765. The name itself is a compound word that combines the German terms for level or flat with the word for stone. This suggests that the name may have originally described a person who lived near a distinct flat rock formation or perhaps someone who worked as a stonecutter or mason. During the eighteenth century, families in Westphalia often adopted surnames based on their trade, their physical surroundings, or their specific village of origin. As the family established itself in this region, they became part of the local social fabric, likely participating in the agricultural and craft-based economy that defined Westphalian life during the late Enlightenment period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Eben and Stein
German for level or flat and stone or rock.
This name
EbensteinA topographic name for someone living near a flat or level stone formation.
also spelled
Ebenstein
Evensteyn
Ewenstein
Evenstine
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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
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