A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Edelstein family of Austria.
Reg. 2583 · Austrian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'or à la demi-aigle de sa., mouv. du parti; aux 2 et 3 de gu. au lion d'arg., tenant entre ses pattes une corbeille d'or, remplie de pierres précieuses de divers émaux. Cq. cour. C.: le lion iss., entre un vol coupé alt. de sa. et d'or. L. d'arg. et de gu. - (Chevaliers, 26 juillet 1773.) Mêmes armes. Deux cq. cour. C., 1° une aigle cont. de sa.: L. d'or et de sa.; 2° le cimier de 1739.”
Austriac. 1772
Where the Edelstein Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Edelstein arms are recorded
The Edelstein arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1772.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
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
1772
Granting Authority for the Edelstein Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Edelstein 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 Austria.
Origin & History of the Edelstein Family in Austria
The surname Edelstein is a German name that translates literally to "noble stone" or "precious stone." It belongs to a category of surnames known as ornamental names, which were often adopted by Jewish families in Central Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. When local governments began requiring families to register permanent surnames, many people chose descriptive or poetic terms inspired by nature or beauty. The presence of the Edelstein family in the Tyrol region by 1772 suggests they were part of a long-standing community in the Alpine territories of the Habsburg Empire. During this period, families in Tyrol were often involved in trade, craftsmanship, or agriculture, and the adoption of such a name may have reflected a sense of cultural identity or a desire to distinguish the family within the local population.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Edel and Stein
Noble and stone or rock
This name
EdelsteinA topographic or ornamental name referring to a precious gemstone or jewel.
also spelled
Zois-Edelstein
Zois fon Edelstine
Zois
Edelstein
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Kohn, David, Die Familiennamen der Juden in Österreich, 1912
Lederer, Klaus, Tiroler Familiengeschichte und Namenskunde, 1985
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
