A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Flash family of Germany.
Reg. 9893 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. à une colombe ess. d'arg., posée sur un tertre du même; aux 2 et 3 d'or à la fasce de sa., ch. d'un besant d'or. Cq. cour. C.: les meubles du 1, entre deux prob. coupées, à dextre d'or sur sa., à sen. d'arg. sur gu. L. conformes aux émaux des prob.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Flash Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Flash arms are recorded
The Flash arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in the registers.
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 Flash 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Flash Family in Germany
The family name Flash finds its roots in the historical region of Bavaria, where records confirm the presence of the family as early as 1765. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a topographic identifier, common practices in Germanic naming traditions during the eighteenth century. In the Bavarian social structure of that era, names often reflected a person’s trade, a specific physical trait, or the location of their homestead. Families living in this region during the mid-1700s were frequently tied to agricultural or craft-based livelihoods, navigating a landscape defined by local traditions and the influence of the Holy Roman Empire. As the family established their roots in the Bavarian countryside, they became part of the local community fabric, contributing to the cultural and economic life of their villages through generations of growth and migration.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Flach
A German term meaning flat or level ground.
This name
FlashAn occupational name for someone who lived on flat land or worked as a flax farmer.
also spelled
Fleish
Flash
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
