A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gotfried family of Germany.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ec. d'arg. et de sa., le sa. ch. d'une feuille d'arg., celle du 2 en barre et celle du 3 en bande, la tige en bas. C.: un vol de sa.”
The Gotfried arms were recorded in Nuremberg, 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.
Reigning in Germany when the Gotfried arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Gotfried originates from the medieval Germanic name Gottfried, which combines the words for God and peace. This name was popular among the nobility and common people alike during the Middle Ages, as it carried a strong religious meaning. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the city of Nuremberg. During this period, Nuremberg was a major center for trade and skilled craftsmanship in the Holy Roman Empire. Families living in the city at that time were often involved in the guilds, which were organizations that controlled specific trades like metalworking or printing. Because the name appears in local records from 1765, it is likely that the family was part of the growing urban middle class that helped define the cultural and economic life of the region during the Enlightenment.
Derived from Germanic elements meaning god and peace or protection.
