A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Federline family of Germany.
Reg. 5222 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Parti d'or et d'arg.; à un homme iss., cour. d'or, br. sur le parti, hab. d'un parti de sa. et d'azur, tenant de chaque main un panache de trois pl. d'aut., à dextre une d'or entre deux de sa., et à sen. une d'azur entre deux d'arg. C.: l'homme, iss. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et d'azur.”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
Where the Federline Arms Were Recorded
Franconia
Map of Germany showing where the Federline arms are recorded
The Federline 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 Federline 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 Federline Family in Germany
The family name Federline originates from the Franconia region of Germany, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1765. The name is likely derived from the Middle High German word "feder," meaning feather, and was often used as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked as a fletcher or a quill maker. In the rural landscape of eighteenth-century Franconia, such names were common because they identified a person by their specific trade or craft. As the family grew and moved through the German states, the name evolved slightly in spelling to reflect local dialects and regional record-keeping styles. By the late 1700s, members of the family were deeply integrated into the local agricultural and artisanal communities that defined the social structure of the region during that era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Feder
A German word meaning feather or quill.
This name
FederlineA diminutive occupational name for someone who worked with feathers or quills.
also spelled
Federline
Federlain
Federli
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bauer, Richard. Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv: Bestand an Kirchenbüchern und Personenstandsregistern. 1995
Heintze, Albert. Die deutschen Familiennamen, geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
Staatsarchiv Bamberg. Standesamtliche Unterlagen und Steuerlisten des Hochstifts Bamberg. 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
knightChivalry and service in arms
knightChivalry and service in arms
