A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gartz family of Germany.
Reg. 8220 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
Colours
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)
“D'arg. à un griffon d'or. Cq. cour. C.: une queue de paon, au nat. L. d'or et de sa.”
SilesiaSilesia, c. 1765
Where the Gartz Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Gartz arms are recorded
The Gartz arms were recorded in Silesia, c. 1765.
Silesia was farming country in the east of the German lands, held in large estates by families who stayed put for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so the region fills a good deal of the register.
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 Gartz 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 Silesia.
Origin & History of the Gartz Family in Germany
The family name Gartz traces its roots to the historical region of Silesia, where records confirm members of the family were living by 1765. During the eighteenth century, Silesia was a vibrant territory caught between the cultural influences of Prussia and the Austrian Empire. Families with this name were often integrated into the local agrarian or trade-based economy that defined the rural landscape of the era. The name itself is thought to be locational, likely derived from the town of Gartz in the Pomerania region, suggesting that early ancestors may have migrated south from the Baltic coast before settling in the Silesian countryside. As these families established themselves in their new homes, they became part of the complex social fabric of Central Europe, living through a period of significant political change and territorial shifts.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gard
Old Germanic word for an enclosure, yard, or protected space.
This name
GartzA topographic name for someone who lived near a fenced enclosure or farmyard.
also spelled
Gartze
Gart
Garts
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
State Archive in Wrocław (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu), Standesamtliche Unterlagen und Kirchenbücher, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
