A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ert family of Germany.
Reg. 0700 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
pelicanSelf-sacrifice and devotion to one's children
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 de gu. à un pélican d'arg., versant son sang dans un gobelet d'or; au 2 les armes de famille. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1º une clé de sa., le panneton en bas; entre deux prob. d'or; 2º le cimier de famille. L. d'or et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1663
Where the Ert Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Ert arms are recorded
The Ert arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1663.
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.
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
1658–1705
Reigning in Germany when the Ert 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 Ert Family in Germany
The family name Ert has deep roots in the historical region of Bavaria, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1663. During the seventeenth century, Bavaria was a landscape defined by small agricultural communities and the influence of the Holy Roman Empire. Families with names like Ert often lived in rural villages where they worked as farmers, craftsmen, or local tradespeople. Because surnames were still evolving during this period, the name likely served as a way to identify a specific household or a person’s trade within their local parish. Life for the Ert family in the 1660s would have been centered around the seasonal rhythms of the land and the strict social structures of the Bavarian countryside. Over time, these early ancestors helped shape the identity of their local communities through their daily labor and their participation in regional church life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Erhard
Derived from the Germanic elements meaning honor and hardy or brave.
This name
ErtA shortened form of names beginning with Er-, often associated with honor, strength, or noble resolve.
also spelled
Erdtt
Erde
Erdth
Ert
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
pelicanSelf-sacrifice and devotion to one's children
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
pelicanSelf-sacrifice and devotion to one's children
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
