A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Eshel family of Germany.
Reg. 0634 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
duckResourcefulness on land and water
columnFortitude and constancy
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“De sa. à trois colonnes rangées d'or, celle du milieu plus élevée que les deux autres et cour. d'or; et une oie volante d'arg., br. sur le tout.”
Germanyc. 1627
Where the Eshel Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Eshel arms are recorded
The Eshel arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1627.
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.
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
1619–1637
Reigning in Germany when the Eshel 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 Eshel Family in Germany
The family name Eshel carries a deep historical connection to the region of Bavaria, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1627. During the seventeenth century, Bavaria was a complex landscape shaped by the religious and political turmoil of the Thirty Years' War. Families living in this area often navigated significant social changes as they transitioned through periods of conflict and reconstruction. The name itself is rooted in Hebrew, as "Eshel" refers to a tamarisk tree, a symbol often associated with hospitality and endurance in ancient traditions. By settling in Bavaria, early bearers of the name became part of the long-standing cultural fabric of Southern Germany, living through an era that defined the region's demographic and social structure for centuries to come.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Eshel
Hebrew word for a tamarisk tree or a sacred grove.
This name
EshelA topographical surname referring to a person who lived near a tamarisk tree.
also spelled
Eschel
Eshel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
duckResourcefulness on land and water
columnFortitude and constancy
duckResourcefulness on land and water
columnFortitude and constancy
