A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Filz family of Germany.
Reg. 7684 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
proboscides trunksGreat strength and long memory
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 de gu. et d'arg.; à deux prob. de l'un à l'autre. C.: deux prob., de gu. et d'arg.”
SilesiaSilesia, c. 1765
Where the Filz Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Filz arms are recorded
The Filz arms were recorded in Silesia, c. 1765.
Silesia was farming country in the east of the German lands, held in large estates by families who stayed put for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so the region fills a good deal of the register.
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 Filz 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 Silesia.
Origin & History of the Filz Family in Germany
The surname Filz originates from the German word for felt, which is a dense fabric made by matting fibers together. In medieval times, names were often taken from a person’s trade, and it is highly likely that the earliest members of the Filz family were skilled artisans who produced felt for hats, shoes, or heavy industrial use. By 1765, records confirm that the family was well-established in the region of Silesia. During this era, Silesia was a vibrant center of trade and agriculture under the rule of the Prussian monarchy. Families living there often moved between rural villages and growing market towns to sell their handcrafted goods. As the Filz family settled into this landscape, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the specialized craft traditions that defined the economy of the eighteenth-century Prussian frontier.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Filz
Middle High German word for felt or a swampy, marshy area.
This name
FilzAn occupational name for a felt maker or a topographic name for someone living near a marsh.
also spelled
Fylz
Filze
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
State Archive in Wrocław (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu), Akta stanu cywilnego i księgi metrykalne, 1765
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proboscides trunksGreat strength and long memory
proboscides trunksGreat strength and long memory
