A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Greenberg family of Germany.
Reg. 4307 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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 un tertre de trois coupeaux de sin., soutenu d'un autre tertre de trois coupeaux d'or, lesdits tertres posés en abîme. C.: trois tertres de trois coupeaux chacun, l'un posé sur l'autre, le tertre supérieur d'arg., le deuxième d'or et le troisième de sin. L. d'arg. et de sin.”
Germanyc. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Greenberg arms are recorded
The Greenberg 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 Germany when the Greenberg 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 Greenberg Family in Germany
The name Greenberg is an Anglicized version of the German surname Grünberg, which translates literally to green mountain or green hill. During the mid-eighteenth century, families bearing this name were well-established in the Bavarian region of Germany. In 1765, the name functioned as a topographic surname, a common naming convention used to identify individuals based on the landscape near their home or place of origin. Many families with this name were part of the vibrant Jewish communities in Southern Germany, where they often integrated into local trade and craft guilds. As the family grew and moved across Europe, the spelling shifted to Greenberg to better suit the phonetic patterns of English-speaking countries. This transition reflects the broader history of migration and cultural adaptation that defined many families living in Bavaria during the late 1700s.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grün Berg
Green mountain or hill
This name
GreenbergA topographic name for someone who lived near a green hill or mountain.
also spelled
Gruenberg
Grunbergh
Grunberk
Groonberg
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
