A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fuerstenau family of Germany.
Reg. 3222 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
fireZeal and purification
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or à un homme iss., mouv. du coupé, hab. d'azur, tort. d'arg., le bras dextre étendu et la main ailée, ces ailes coupées alt. d'or et d'azur; au 2 d'azur à trois flammes d'arg., mouv. du coupé. C.: l'homme iss.; entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'or et d'azur. L.: à dextre d'or et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Fuerstenau Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Fuerstenau arms are recorded
The Fuerstenau 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 Fuerstenau 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 Fuerstenau Family in Germany
The name Fuerstenau is a topographic surname that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe. It is composed of the words for prince and meadow, which suggests that the earliest members of the family likely lived on or managed land owned by a member of the nobility. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the family had established a firm presence in the region of Bavaria. Records from 1765 confirm that individuals bearing this name were integrated into the local social and economic structures of the area during this time. Families with this name often worked as farmers or skilled laborers, contributing to the development of their rural communities through generations of steady residence. Over time, the name served as a marker of their geographic roots and their historical connection to the land they inhabited.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fürst and Au
Prince and meadow or riverbank
This name
FuerstenauRefers to a person living on a meadow or land owned by a prince.
also spelled
Fuerstenau
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
knightChivalry and service in arms
fireZeal and purification
knightChivalry and service in arms
fireZeal and purification
