A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Edelmann family of Germany.
Reg. 1465 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bullValour and generosity
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 tête et col de boeuf de sa., coupée de gu. C.: deux prob., coupées alt. d'arg. et de sa.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
Where the Edelmann Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Edelmann arms are recorded
The Edelmann arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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 Edelmann 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Edelmann Family in Germany
The surname Edelmann is a descriptive German name that translates literally to noble man. During the Middle Ages, this name was often used as a nickname for someone who acted with the grace or dignity of a nobleman, or perhaps for a person who served in the household of a high-ranking official. By the time the family was firmly established in Bavaria in 1765, the name had become a permanent hereditary surname passed down through generations. Families with this name in the Bavarian region were typically part of the industrious middle class, often working as skilled tradespeople or farmers who contributed to the local economy. As the family grew, they became deeply integrated into the social and religious life of their village communities, leaving behind records of births, marriages, and property ownership that document their steady presence in southern Germany throughout the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Adal
Old High German term meaning noble or of high birth.
This name
EdelmannA person of noble status or a man belonging to the nobility.
also spelled
Edelmann Nuyburg
Edelman de Noyburg
Edelmann
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
bullValour and generosity
bullValour and generosity
