A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Eckle family of Germany.
Reg. 2715 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un croiss. figuré et tourné d'or, acc. de trois étoiles du même. Cq. cour. C.: un loup iss. d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Eckle Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Eckle arms are recorded
The Eckle arms were recorded in Germany, 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 Eckle 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 Eckle Family in Germany
The family name Eckle finds its historical roots in the southern German region of Bavaria, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1765. The name is considered a topographic surname, which means it was likely derived from the physical landscape where the original ancestors lived. In the German language, the root word "Eck" refers to a corner, an edge, or a sharp bend in the land. It is probable that the first people to carry this name lived near a prominent corner of a field, a sharp bend in a local river, or a specific edge of a forest. Over many generations, this descriptive label transitioned from a way to identify a person’s home into a permanent family name that was passed down through the centuries. This naming tradition reflects the deep connection between rural Bavarian families and the specific geography of their ancestral villages.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ecke
A corner, edge, or a sharp projection of land.
This name
EckleA topographic name for someone living near a corner or a sharp bend in a road.
also spelled
Eckell
Eckle
Eckl
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
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
