A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Flach family of Germany.
Reg. 6987 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 deux fasces d'or. C.: un vol aux armes de l'écu, les plumes ext. de chaque aile ornées de six roses d'arg.”
HesseHesse, c. 1765
Where the Flach Arms Were Recorded
Hesse
Map of Germany showing where the Flach arms are recorded
The Flach arms were recorded in Hesse, c. 1765.
Hesse was central German country, divided among a large number of small landowners and prosperous towns. So many separate households held ground there that the region produced an unusual number of 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 Flach 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 Hesse.
Origin & History of the Flach Family in Germany
The surname Flach is a descriptive German name that originated as a nickname for a person with a flat physical feature, such as a flat face or a level head. In the German language, the word *flach* literally translates to flat or level. By the mid-eighteenth century, families bearing this name were well-established in the region of Hesse. Records confirm that members of the Flach family were living in this area by 1765, likely working as farmers or craftsmen in the rural villages of the German countryside. During this period, families in Hesse often stayed in the same local districts for generations, which allowed the name to become deeply rooted in the regional history of the state. As the family grew, they contributed to the local economy and social structure of their communities, leaving a lasting mark on the genealogy of the Hessian region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
flach
A Middle High German adjective meaning flat or level.
This name
FlachA topographic name for someone who lived on a flat piece of land or a plain.
also spelled
Flack
Flahk
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
Hessisches Staatsarchiv Marburg, Kirchenbücher der Pfarrei (Parish Registers), 1765
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
