A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gerner family of Germany.
Reg. 8753 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'azur à deux demi-vols adossés d'or; aux 2 et 3 de gu. à quatre fleurs-de-lis d'arg., 1, 2 et 1. Cq. cour. C.: une licorne iss. d'arg.; entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'azur et d'or. L.: à dextre d'or et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Gerner Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Gerner arms are recorded
The Gerner 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 Gerner 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 Gerner Family in Germany
The surname Gerner has deep roots in the southern German region of Bavaria, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1765. The name is occupational in origin, likely derived from the Middle High German word "gerner," which referred to a person who made or sold spears or similar pointed tools. During the eighteenth century, families with this name were often integrated into the local agricultural or craft-based economies of small Bavarian villages. As the region experienced shifts in population and trade, the Gerner family became part of the hardworking middle class that sustained the local economy. Their presence in Bavaria during this era reflects a time of transition, where family names became increasingly tied to specific trades and local community identities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gern
Old High German word meaning spear or point.
This name
GernerOccupational name for a spear maker or someone who carried a spear.
also spelled
Gernere
Gernerr
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
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
