A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Griebenow family of Germany.
Reg. 7322 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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 cerf élancé au nat., soutenu d'une terrasse isolée de sin.; l'écu bordé d'or. Cq. cour. C.: une ramure de cerf au nat. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
PomeraniaPomerania, c. 1765
Where the Griebenow Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Griebenow arms are recorded
The Griebenow arms were recorded in Pomerania, c. 1765.
Pomerania was flat farming country on the Baltic coast, held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations, and generations of landholding is what fills 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 Griebenow 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 Pomerania.
Origin & History of the Griebenow Family in Germany
The Griebenow family name originates from the historical region of Pomerania, which was once a powerful duchy along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. The name itself is locational, likely derived from the village of Griebenow near the town of Greifswald. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the family had firmly established roots in this area, as evidenced by records from 1765. During this era, Pomerania was under the administration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and many families with this surname were integrated into the local agricultural and social structures of the countryside. Life for the Griebenow family during this period was defined by the seasonal rhythms of the Baltic landscape and the shifting political borders that shaped the lives of all Pomeranian residents. As the family grew, they remained tied to the traditions and regional identity of their ancestral home, contributing to the development of the local community over several generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grib
A Slavic term referring to a mushroom or a fungus.
This name
GriebenowA locative surname derived from the village of Griebenow, meaning place of mushrooms.
also spelled
Keffenbrinkgriebenow
Keffenbrink
Keffenbrinck
Griebenow
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Landesarchiv Greifswald, Kirchenbücher der Kirchengemeinde Griebenow
Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Generalverzeichnis der pommerschen Landbevölkerung
Heitz, Gerhard, Die Entwicklung der pommerschen Landwirtschaft, 1957
Schmidt, Roderich, Das historische Pommern, 2007
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
