A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Erker family of Germany.
Reg. 3196 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Coupé d'or sur sa.; au lion d'azur, cour. d'or, br. sur le coupé, soutenu d'une terrasse de sin. et tenant un faisceau de trois flèches d'or, empennées d'azur, les pointes en bas. Cq. cour. C.: le lion iss., entre deux rameaux d'olivier de sin. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Erker Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Erker arms are recorded
The Erker arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
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 Erker 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Erker Family in Germany
The family name Erker finds its historical roots in the southern German regions, particularly within the state of Bavaria. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Bavarian countryside. The name itself is thought to be topographic or descriptive in origin, often linked to the Middle High German word "erker," which refers to a projecting window or a bay in a building. It is likely that the earliest ancestors to carry this name were either builders who specialized in this architectural feature or individuals who lived in a house distinguished by such a structure. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric of the region, participating in the agricultural and craft-based economies that defined Bavarian life in 1765 and the years that followed.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Erk
A short form of the Germanic name Adalrich meaning noble ruler.
This name
ErkerA topographic or occupational name referring to someone who lived near or worked with a specific type of boundary marker or corner.
also spelled
Erkerartt
Erkerar
Erker
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kurbayern Hofkammer, Steuer- und Rechnungsunterlagen, 1765
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
