A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Eschenbach family of Germany.
Reg. 8428 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“D'arg. à la bande ondée de sa. C.: un panache de plumes de coq de sa.”
HesseHesse, c. 1765
Where the Eschenbach Arms Were Recorded
Hesse
Map of Germany showing where the Eschenbach arms are recorded
The Eschenbach arms were recorded in Hesse, c. 1765.
Hesse was central German country, divided among a large number of small landowners and prosperous towns. So many separate households held ground there that the region produced an unusual number of 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 Eschenbach 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 Hesse.
Origin & History of the Eschenbach Family in Germany
The surname Eschenbach is rooted in the landscape of medieval Germany, where it functioned as a topographic name. It is derived from the German words "Esche," meaning ash tree, and "Bach," meaning a stream or brook. This suggests that the earliest families to adopt the name likely lived near a small creek lined with ash trees. By the time records confirm the presence of the family in the region of Hesse in 1765, the name had been established for centuries as a way to identify people by their local geography. Families in this area during the eighteenth century were often tied to the land through agriculture or local trades, and their surname served as a permanent link to the specific natural features of their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Esche and Bach
Ash tree and a stream or brook.
This name
EschenbachA topographic name for someone living by a stream lined with ash trees.
also spelled
Eschenback
Eshenbahk
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
Hessisches Landesarchiv, Kirchenbücher und Zivilstandsregister der hessischen Gemeinden, 1765
Udolph, Jürgen, Duden Familiennamen: Herkunft und Bedeutung von 20.000 Nachnamen, 2005
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
