A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Forner family of Germany.
Reg. 1500 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 de sa. à une étoile d'arg.; le champ chapé-ployé d'or, à deux roses de gu.; au 2 d'arg. à une croix de Lorraine de gu., iss. d'une couronne d'or posée sur un tertre de trois coupeaux de sin. Cq. cour. C.: un vol de sa., chaque aile ch. d'une étoile d'arg. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Forner Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Forner arms are recorded
The Forner 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 Forner 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 Forner Family in Germany
The surname Forner is rooted in the occupational history of Central Europe, specifically originating as a descriptive name for a baker. In the German language, the term *Forner* is a variation of *Pfanner* or *Bäcker*, referring to someone who worked with a furnace or oven to produce bread. By the mid-18th century, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Bavarian region. During this era, life in Bavaria was largely defined by agricultural cycles and local trade guilds, which likely dictated the family’s daily routines and social standing. As members of a skilled trade, these early ancestors were essential to the function of their village communities, providing a staple service that allowed them to settle and thrive in the region long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
furnarius
Latin term for a baker or someone who works with ovens.
This name
FornerAn occupational surname for a baker or a person who operated a kiln.
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
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
