A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gladys family of Germany.
Reg. 5374 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
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)
“D'arg. à un cerf pass. de gu. C.: le cerf, iss.”
SilesiaSilesia, c. 1765
Where the Gladys Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Gladys arms are recorded
The Gladys 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 Gladys 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 Gladys Family in Germany
The family name Gladys traces its historical roots to the region of Silesia, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1765. During the eighteenth century, Silesia was a vibrant area undergoing significant social and economic shifts under the influence of the Prussian state. Families living in this region often adopted surnames that reflected local linguistic traditions, blending Slavic and Germanic influences common to the borderlands. The name likely emerged as a way to identify specific households within growing rural communities or expanding urban centers. As these early ancestors navigated the complexities of life in the Holy Roman Empire and later the Kingdom of Prussia, they contributed to the local labor force and the cultural landscape of the Silesian plains. By establishing a documented presence in the mid-1700s, the family became part of the long history of migration and settlement that defined the development of Central Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Claudia
Derived from the Roman clan name Claudius meaning lame or limping.
This name
GladysA Welsh adaptation of the Latin name Claudia, signifying a noble or lame woman.
also spelled
Gladys
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Knie, Johann Georg, Alphabetisch-statistisch-topographische Uebersicht der Dörfer, Flecken, Städte und andern Orte der Königl. Preuß. Provinz Schlesien, 1845
Zimmermann, Friedrich Albert, Beyträge zur Beschreibung von Schlesien, 1783
State Archive in Wrocław (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu), Akta stanu cywilnego i księgi parafialne, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
