A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grohman family of Germany.
Reg. 1998 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 buste de vieillard, ayant des oreilles d'âne, hab. d'un palé de gu. et d'arg., posé de profil. C.: le buste. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Grohman Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Grohman arms are recorded
The Grohman 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 Grohman 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 Grohman Family in Germany
The surname Grohman is rooted in the linguistic traditions of the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, specifically emerging from the Middle High German term "groh," which often referred to a person of significant stature or a coarse, rugged individual. By the mid-eighteenth century, historical records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Bavarian region. Life for these early ancestors was defined by the agrarian landscape of southern Germany, where they likely worked as skilled farmers or craftsmen within the feudal structures of the time. Because Bavaria served as a major crossroads for trade and migration in 1765, the Grohman family name became associated with the industrious middle class that helped shape the local economy. These early generations lived through a period of transition as the region moved toward modernization, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and community integration that defined their presence in the Bavarian countryside for decades to come.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Groß
A German adjective meaning large, big, or great.
This name
GrohmanAn occupational or descriptive name for a person of large stature or a significant individual.
also spelled
Groman
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
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
