A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gottfried 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 Gottfried 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 Gottfried 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 name Gottfried originates from the Old High German words *got*, meaning god, and *frid*, meaning peace. Historically, it functioned as a given name that eventually transitioned into a hereditary surname as populations grew and record-keeping became more formal. By the time members of the family were documented in Nuremberg in 1765, the name was well-established within the German-speaking regions of Europe. During this era, Nuremberg served as a major center for trade and craftsmanship, attracting families who sought to contribute to the city’s thriving guild system. Families bearing this name often lived in urban environments where they worked as merchants or skilled artisans. This placement in a bustling city suggests that early ancestors were likely integrated into the professional and social structures that defined eighteenth-century German life.
Derived from Germanic elements meaning god and peace or protection.
