A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Eisenhart family of Germany.
Reg. 1527 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 de gu. au lion d'arg.; aux 2 et 3 d'or à une fleur-de-lis d'azur. Cq. cour. C.: le lion, iss., tenant entre ses pattes la fleur-de-lis. L.: à dextre d'or et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
PomeraniaPomerania, c. 1596
Where the Eisenhart Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Eisenhart arms are recorded
The Eisenhart arms were recorded in Pomerania, c. 1596.
Pomerania was flat farming country on the Baltic coast, held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations, and generations of landholding is what fills 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.
Emperor Rudolf II
Sovereign of the period
Emperor Rudolf II
1576–1612
Reigning in Germany when the Eisenhart 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 Pomerania.
Origin & History of the Eisenhart Family in Germany
The surname Eisenhart is a German name that combines the words for iron and hard, suggesting that the original bearers were likely known for their strength, resilience, or perhaps their skill as metalworkers. By the late sixteenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the region of Pomerania, which was then a duchy along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Records from 1596 confirm that members of the Eisenhart family were living in this area during a time of significant religious and political transition in northern Europe. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, often serving in administrative or land-owning roles that allowed them to maintain their influence across generations. This early history reflects the broader movement of families who settled in the Baltic territories to build lives centered on trade, agriculture, and service to the regional nobility.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Eisen and Hart
Iron and hardy, strong, or brave.
This name
EisenhartA descriptive surname for a person who possessed the strength and resilience of iron.
also spelled
Eisenhardt
Izenhart
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
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
