A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gays family of Germany.
Reg. 0118 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à un coq hardi de sa., bq. d'or, crêté, barbé et m. de gu., le corps terminé en queue de poisson au nat., ladite queue levée. C.: le coq de l'écu.”
GermanyRothenburg Bav, c. 1765
Where the Gays Arms Were Recorded
Rothenburg
Map of Germany showing where the Gays arms are recorded
The Gays arms were recorded in Rothenburg Bav, c. 1765.
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 Gays 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 Gays Family in Germany
The family name Gays carries a history deeply rooted in the cultural landscape of central Europe. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the family were established residents of the historic town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. During this period, Rothenburg was a significant center for trade and craftsmanship, and families living there were often integrated into the local guild systems or agricultural networks that defined daily life. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects, possibly serving as a descriptive term for an individual’s personality or their specific role within the community. As the family navigated the social changes of the 1700s, they contributed to the local traditions and the enduring legacy of the region. Their presence in such a well-preserved medieval town suggests that the Gays family was part of the stable middle class that kept the town functioning through centuries of economic and political shifts.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gau
A district, region, or administrative territory in medieval Germany.
This name
GaysRefers to a person who lived in or originated from a specific rural district or region.
also spelled
Geys
Gheyss
Gays
Gys
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Stadtarchiv Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bürgerbuch der Stadt Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Staatliches Archivwesen Bayern, Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirchengemeinde Rothenburg
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cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
