A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ertle family of Austria.
Reg. 4937 · Austrian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“De sa. à un griffon d'or, soutenu d'un tertre de trois coupeaux du même, tenant entre ses pattes une fraise au nat., tigée et feuillée de deux pièces de sin. Cq. cour. C.: le griffon, iss.”
Austriac. 1610
Where the Ertle Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Ertle arms are recorded
The Ertle arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1610.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried 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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1610
Granting Authority for the Ertle Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Emperor Rudolf II
Sovereign of the period
Emperor Rudolf II
1576–1612
Reigning in Austria when the Ertle arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Ertle Family in Austria
The family name Ertle is deeply rooted in the mountainous landscape of the Tyrol region, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1610. The name likely originated as a shortened version of names like Erhard or Arnold, which were common throughout the German-speaking lands during the Middle Ages. In the rugged environment of the Alps, families often settled in small, isolated mountain communities where they worked as farmers, craftsmen, or miners. Because travel was difficult in the seventeenth century, the Ertle family remained closely tied to their local villages for generations. These early ancestors played a vital role in the development of Tyrolean society by helping to maintain the agricultural traditions and local customs that defined the region during the early modern period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hart
Old High German word meaning strong, hardy, or brave.
This name
ErtleA diminutive or patronymic form referring to a brave or strong individual.
also spelled
Ertle
Ertl
Ertl de So
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
