A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Greek family of Germany.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Coupé d'or sur azur. C.: deux prob., coupées d'or sur azur.”
The Greek arms were recorded in Spire, 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 Greek 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 family name Greek has deep roots tied to the historic city of Speyer, Germany, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1765. During the eighteenth century, Speyer was a significant center for trade and religious life along the Rhine River. Families living in this region often received surnames based on their geographic origins, their specific trade, or their perceived cultural identity. The name Greek likely functioned as a descriptor for an ancestor who had traveled from the eastern Mediterranean or perhaps someone who maintained strong cultural or commercial ties to that region. As these early family members lived in the Palatinate, they navigated a period of significant social change and migration. Over time, the family name became a permanent marker of their heritage, eventually traveling with them as they moved from their German origins to new homes across the world.
Latin term for a person originating from Greece.
