A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Erthal family of Germany.
Reg. 6470 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à deux fasces d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: deux prob., aux armes de l'écu.”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
Where the Erthal Arms Were Recorded
Franconia
Map of Germany showing where the Erthal arms are recorded
The Erthal arms were recorded in Franconia, c. 1765.
Franconia was a patchwork of small territories in central Germany, full of minor landowners and prosperous market towns. So many separate households held land there that the region produced a great many coats of arms.
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 Erthal 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 Franconia.
Origin & History of the Erthal Family in Germany
The family name Erthal originates from the historic region of Franconia, located in what is now modern-day Germany. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family was well-established in this area, with records confirming their presence there by 1765. The name itself is tied to the geography of the region, as it is derived from the village of Erthal, which sits within the Spessart mountain range. During this period, families often took their surnames from the specific lands they managed or inhabited. Members of the Erthal family were frequently involved in the administrative and religious life of the Holy Roman Empire, serving as influential figures within the local ecclesiastical structures. Their history is deeply connected to the development of the Franconian landscape, reflecting the broader social and political shifts occurring in central Europe during the late 1700s.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Erde
Germanic word referring to the ground, soil, or earth.
This name
ErthalRefers to someone who lived on or worked a specific piece of land or valley.
also spelled
Erthall
Ertal
Related arms
Arnimsimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Brunner, Horst, Geschichte der fränkischen Literatur, 2010
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
