A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Görtz family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 0164 · Austrian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Tranché: au 1 d'azur au lion d'or; au 2 d'arg. à deux barres de gu. Cq. cour. C.: un chapeau pyramidal d'arg., semé de trèfles de gu. et sommé de cinq pl. d'aut. d'arg.”
Austriac. 1772
Where the Görtz Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Görtz arms are recorded
The Görtz arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1772.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried arms.
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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Görtz Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Görtz arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Görtz Family in Austria
The family name Görtz traces its roots in Austria to the mountainous region of Tyrol, where members of the family were documented as early as 1772. During this period, the name was often associated with families living in the rugged Alpine landscape, where local populations were frequently tied to the land and the administrative structures of the Habsburg Empire. Because Tyrol served as a vital crossroads for trade and travel between the German lands and Italy, families like the Görtz clan often played roles in local community life or regional commerce. The name itself reflects the linguistic traditions of the area, where surnames frequently evolved from geographic locations or descriptions of a person's home. By the late 18th century, the presence of the Görtz family in Tyrol suggests they were part of the established social fabric of the region, living through a time of significant agricultural and political change under the rule of Empress Maria Theresa.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'arg. à deux barres de sa., crén. chacune de trois pièces.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Görtz Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Görtz arms are recorded
The Görtz 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 Austria when the Görtz 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 Görtz Family in Germany
The surname Görtz is a shortened form of the name Gerhard, which was a common given name in medieval Germany. The name is composed of two ancient Germanic words that translate to spear and brave or strong. By the time the family was documented in Bavaria in 1765, the name had evolved from a personal identifier into a permanent family name passed down through generations. Families with this name were often part of the rural population or the rising middle class in southern German states. Living in Bavaria during the eighteenth century meant that the family was likely influenced by the agricultural traditions and the complex social structures of the Holy Roman Empire. As the name spread across different regions, it adapted to local dialects, which explains why variations of the spelling exist today. The presence of the Görtz name in historical records from 1765 serves as a snapshot of a family that had already established deep roots within the Bavarian landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gerhard
Derived from Germanic elements meaning spear and hardy or brave.
This name
GörtzA patronymic form originating as a short version of names starting with Ger-.
also spelled
Goertz
Gortze
Goertze
Gerts
Related arms
Schober Edle von Hochenfarthsimilar arms
Straus-Eckbrecht de Dürkheimsimilar arms
Goertsvariant spelling
Goertzvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
