A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gassman family of Germany.
Reg. 9922 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 d'or à un chevalier iss., arm. de toutes pièces, mouv. du coupé, le casque panaché d'arg. et de gu., tenant de ses mains une épée flamboyante levée; au 2 d'arg. au lion de gu. C.: le chevalier iss., entre un vol coupé, à dextre d'or sur sa., à sen. d'arg. sur gu. L. conformes aux émaux du vol.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Gassman Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Gassman arms are recorded
The Gassman 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 Gassman 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 Gassman Family in Germany
The surname Gassman is rooted in the German language and likely originated as a descriptive name for a person who lived on a specific street or lane. The term comes from the Middle High German word "gasse," which refers to a narrow path or alleyway. During the eighteenth century, families bearing this name were well-established in the region of Bavaria. By 1765, records indicate that Gassman families were active members of these local communities, often working as tradespeople or farmers. Because surnames at that time were frequently tied to one's location or occupation, the name suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely residents of a town or village center where they were known by their proximity to a particular street. This naming tradition helped distinguish individual families within the growing populations of the Bavarian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gasse
A narrow street, lane, or alleyway in a medieval town.
This name
GassmanAn occupational name for someone who lived or worked in a narrow lane.
also spelled
Gassman
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
lionCourage, strength and royalty
knightChivalry and service in arms
lionCourage, strength and royalty
