A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fetter family of Austria.
Reg. 7257 · Austrian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
wreathHonour, and a victory crowned
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 parti: a. de gu. à un senestrochère, arm. au nat., tenant une épée; b. d'or à une couronne de laurier de sin., fruitée de gu.; au 2 d'arg. au lion de gu., couché sur une terrasse de sin. Cq. cour. C.: le senestrochère. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de gu., à sen. d'or et de gu.”
AustriaTransylvanie, c. 1822
Where the Fetter Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Fetter arms are recorded
The Fetter arms were recorded in Transylvanie, c. 1822.
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
Town
Transylvanie
First recorded
1822
Granting Authority for the Fetter Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
1804–1835
Reigning in Austria when the Fetter 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 Fetter Family in Austria
The surname Fetter has deep roots in the Alpine region of Tyrol, where families bearing the name were well-established by the early nineteenth century. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a professional designation, as the German word "fett" relates to terms for fat or rich, which may have originally referred to a prosperous merchant or a person of sturdy build. During the 1820s, the Tyrol region was a complex landscape of mountain valleys and trade routes, and families like the Fetters often lived as farmers, craftsmen, or local traders. These early ancestors were part of a resilient mountain culture that placed a high value on community ties and land ownership. Over time, the family name spread from these high-altitude settlements into broader European regions, carried by individuals seeking new opportunities in trade and agriculture.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Vetter
Middle High German term for a cousin or male relative.
This name
FetterAn occupational or descriptive nickname for a kinsman, often used to denote a cousin.
also spelled
Feter de Fehdenfeld
Fetterr de Fehdenfeld
Fetterre de Fehdenfeld
Feter de Fedenfeld
Fetter
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Huter, Franz. Tiroler Urkundenbuch. 1937
Kranzmayer, Eberhard. Ortsnamenbuch von Kärnten. 1956
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
wreathHonour, and a victory crowned
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
wreathHonour, and a victory crowned
