A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Edel family of Germany.
Reg. 5022 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
Colours
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)
“D'arg. à une cigogne, posée sur une colline et tenant en son bec un serpent, le tout au nat. C.: la cigogne, entre deux prob., coupées d'arg. sur azur.”
SaxonySaxony, c. 1765
Where the Edel Arms Were Recorded
Saxony
Map of Germany showing where the Edel arms are recorded
The Edel arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1765.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often 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 Edel 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 Saxony.
Origin & History of the Edel Family in Germany
The family name Edel finds its roots in the German language, where the word itself translates to noble or refined. During the eighteenth century, the name was well-established within the region of Saxony, a historic area in eastern Germany known for its rich cultural and industrial development. Records confirm that members of the Edel family were living in this territory by 1765, likely working as skilled tradespeople or farmers within the local village structures. Because surnames were often adopted based on personal traits or social standing, the name likely served as a descriptor for an ancestor who was viewed as honorable or distinguished by their neighbors. As the family grew, they remained part of the fabric of Saxon society, contributing to the agricultural and communal life that defined the region during the late Enlightenment period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Adal
An Old High German word meaning noble or of noble descent.
This name
EdelA descriptive surname for someone of noble birth or high social standing.
also spelled
Edle
Edell
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche Sachsens, 1765
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mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
