A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Goehl family of Germany.
Reg. 5589 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'azur au lion d'or; aux 2 et 3 de gu. à un héron au nat., cour. d'or, posé sur un tertre de sin. Cq. cour. C.: le héron, ess., tenant en son bec un rameau d'olivier de sin. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de gu., à sen. d'or et d'azur.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1633
Where the Goehl Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Goehl arms are recorded
The Goehl arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1633.
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.
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
1619–1637
Reigning in Germany when the Goehl 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Goehl Family in Germany
The family name Goehl traces its roots to the southern German region of Bavaria, where records confirm members of the family were established by the year 1633. During this period, the Thirty Years’ War was ravaging much of Central Europe, causing significant movement and hardship for local populations. Families like the Goehls were often tied to the land as farmers or skilled tradespeople, living in small village communities that relied on local agriculture and craftsmanship. As the region began to recover from the conflicts of the seventeenth century, the Goehl name became part of the social fabric of Bavarian life. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects, reflecting the specific linguistic patterns of the Upper Palatinate or surrounding areas. Over the following generations, the family remained rooted in this landscape, contributing to the local economy and the development of their community through steady work and deep ties to their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Göll
A topographic term referring to a rounded hill or mountain peak.
This name
GoehlA habitational name for someone who lived near a prominent rounded hill or mountain.
also spelled
Goehl de Pothorstein
Goehl
Gohl
Gole de Potorstine
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
