A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Eccher family of Austria.
Reg. 6003 · Austrian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de sa. à deux flèches d'or, passées en saut.; aux 2 et 3 d'or à un homme iss., posé de profil, hab. de gu., coiffé d'un bonnet du même, décochant une flèche d'un arc. A une croix florencée de gu., br. sur les écartelures. Sur le tout d'or à une Madonne avec l'enfant Jésus, au nat. Cq. cour. C.: l'homme, iss. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa., à sen. d'or et de gu.”
TyrolTyrol, c. 1791
Where the Eccher Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Eccher arms are recorded
The Eccher arms were recorded in Tyrol, c. 1791.
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
1791
Granting Authority for the Eccher Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
1790–1792
Reigning in Austria when the Eccher 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 Tyrol.
Origin & History of the Eccher Family in Austria
The Eccher family name is deeply rooted in the rugged landscape of the Tyrol region, a mountainous area that spans parts of modern-day Austria and Italy. Historical records confirm that the family was well-established in this area by 1791, living among the high Alpine valleys where the German and Italian cultures often met. The name itself is thought to be a topographic surname, which means it likely described the specific location where the earliest ancestors lived or worked. In the local dialect, such names were often tied to the geography of the mountains, such as a ridge, a field, or a stream. Because these families lived in isolated mountain communities, they often remained in the same villages for generations, working as farmers, craftsmen, or local officials. This stability allowed the Eccher name to persist through centuries of regional change, linking the family permanently to the history and traditions of the Tyrolean Alps.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ecke
A corner, edge, or a sharp projection of land.
This name
EccherA topographic name for someone who lived near a corner or a sharp edge of land.
also spelled
Eccher
Ecco
Marienfreund
Eker zu Eko und Marienfreund
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Kranzmayer, Eberhard. Ortsnamenbuch von Kärnten. 1956
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
knightChivalry and service in arms
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
arrowReadiness for battle, and affliction endured
knightChivalry and service in arms
