A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ertel family of Germany.
Reg. 9902 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 les armes précédentes; aux 2 et 3 d'or à l'aigle de sa. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1º le cimier précédent; 1. d'arg. et d'azur; 2º l'aigle; 1. d'or et de sa. D.: PRÆMIUM FIDELITATIS.”
Germanyc. 1785
Where the Ertel Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Ertel arms are recorded
The Ertel arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1785.
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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Ertel 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 Ertel Family in Germany
The surname Ertel has deep roots in the southern German region of Bavaria, where the family was well-established by the late eighteenth century. The name is considered a diminutive form of the Germanic name Erhard, which combines the words for honor and hardy or strong. During the 1700s, families in this region often lived in small agricultural communities where their last names were closely tied to their given names or local occupations. By 1785, the Ertel family was already integrated into the social and economic fabric of Bavarian village life. Members of the family likely worked as farmers or skilled craftsmen, contributing to the steady growth of the local population during a time of significant transition in the Holy Roman Empire. The persistence of the name in parish records from this era shows that the family maintained a stable presence in the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Erhard
Derived from the Germanic elements for honor and hardy or brave.
This name
ErtelA diminutive form of names starting with the element meaning honor or respect.
also spelled
Ertell
Ertel
Ertel de Krelau
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
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
