A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Forst family of Germany.
Reg. 2428 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
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)
“D'arg. à un homme iss., hab. de gu., tenant de sa main dextre une arbalète d'or, en pal. C.: l'homme, iss.”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
Where the Forst Arms Were Recorded
Franconia
Map of Germany showing where the Forst arms are recorded
The Forst arms were recorded in Franconia, c. 1765.
Franconia was a patchwork of small territories in central Germany, full of minor landowners and prosperous market towns. So many separate households held land there that the region produced a great many 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 Forst 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 Franconia.
Origin & History of the Forst Family in Germany
The name Forst is a topographic surname that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe. In the German language, the word *Forst* refers to a forest or a wooded area managed for timber production. Families who adopted this name likely lived near or worked within these protected woodlands during the Middle Ages. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the Forst family were well-established in the Franconia region of Germany. This area, known for its dense forests and rolling hills, provided a fitting environment for a family whose identity was tied to the land. As these individuals moved through the villages of Franconia, their name served as a simple way to identify their origins and their connection to the local landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Forst
Derived from the Middle High German word for a forest or woodland.
This name
ForstA topographic name for someone who lived near or worked in a forest.
also spelled
Forste
Related arms
Costedesimilar arms
Vorstvariant spelling
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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1971
Bayerisches Staatsarchiv Nürnberg, Standesbuch der Gemeinde (Franconian Parish Records), 1765
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knightChivalry and service in arms
knightChivalry and service in arms
