A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Floss family of Germany.
Reg. 3312 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'azur à un fer-à-cheval d'arg.; aux 2 et 3 de sa. à une fleur-de-lis d'or. C.: une fleur-de-lis d'or, entre les branches d'un fer-à-cheval d'arg.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
Where the Floss Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Floss arms are recorded
The Floss arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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 Floss 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Floss Family in Germany
The family name Floss traces its roots back to the historical region of Bavaria, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1765. The name likely originated as a topographic descriptor, as the word "Floss" is linked to the German term for a raft or a flowing body of water. During the eighteenth century, many families in southern Germany took surnames based on their proximity to local rivers or their involvement in the timber trade, which relied heavily on river transport. As the family established itself in the Bavarian landscape, they became part of a long tradition of regional craftsmanship and agrarian life. Over generations, the name evolved alongside the shifting borders and social structures of the Holy Roman Empire and later the German states, reflecting the deep connection between the family and their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Floss
Derived from the Middle High German word for a stream or river.
This name
FlossA topographic name for someone who lived near a stream or a small river.
also spelled
Flosse
Flos
Flossy
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
horseshoeGood fortune and protection from harm
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
