A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Eichner family of Germany.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Tranché: au 1 de sa. à une”
The Eichner 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.
Reigning in Germany when the Eichner arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Eichner is rooted in the linguistic traditions of southern Germany, specifically within the region of Bavaria. It is classified as a topographic or habitational name, derived from the Middle High German word "eiche," which refers to an oak tree. Historically, the name was likely given to individuals who lived near a prominent oak tree or within an oak forest. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in Bavarian communities. These early ancestors were typically part of the agrarian society that defined the region, often working as farmers or tradespeople who maintained strong ties to their local parishes. Over time, the name evolved as families moved between villages, yet it remained deeply connected to the rural landscape of the Bavarian countryside where the family first appeared in official documentation in 1765.
A large deciduous tree belonging to the genus Quercus.
