Map of Germany showing where the Fehrenbach arms are recorded
The Fehrenbach 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 Fehrenbach 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 Fehrenbach Family in Germany
The surname Fehrenbach originates from the German language and is classified as a topographic name. It is derived from the combination of two Middle High German words, specifically "farn" which means fern and "bach" which means brook or stream. This suggests that the earliest members of the family likely lived near a small creek or stream where ferns grew in abundance. By the year 1765, historical records confirm that the family was well-established in the Franconia region of Germany. During this period, families often took their names from the specific geographical features of their local landscape to distinguish themselves from others in the community. This naming tradition helped identify ancestors by their connection to the natural environment of their home village.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Föhrenbach
A stream lined with pine trees.
This name
FehrenbachA topographic name for someone who lived near a brook bordered by pine trees.
also spelled
Farnbach
Farnbak
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Staatsarchiv Bamberg, Standesamtliche Unterlagen und Kirchenbücher der Region Franken, 1765
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
