A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Groth family of Sweden.
Reg. 1011 · Swedish, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lionCourage, strength and royalty
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
palm treeVictory, and righteousness that flourishes
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: au 1 d'or au lion de gu.; au 2 coupé: a. de gu. à un monde d'or, cintré et croisé du même; b. d'or à deux clés d'azur, passées en saut.; au 3 coupé: a. d'or à deux palmes de sin., passées en saut. dans une couronne d'or; b. d'arg. à trois roses de gu.; au 4 d'or à une grue avec sa vigilance d'arg. A la croix pattée d'azur, br. sur l'écartelé. Sur le tout coupé: a. d'arg. à deux pensées accostées et affr. d'azur, tigées et feuillées de sin.; b. de gu. à une étoile (10) d'arg. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1º une étoile (10) d'arg.; entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'arg. et de gu.: 2º un lion iss. d'or, lamp. de gu., supp. de ses pattes un monde d'or, cintré et croisé du même. T.: à dextre un lion reg. d'arg., lamp. de gu.; à sen. un sauvage de carn., ceint et cour. de lierre, arm. d'une massue.”
Swedenc. 1751
Where the Groth Arms Were Recorded
Stockholm
Map of Sweden showing where the Groth arms are recorded
The Groth arms were recorded in Sweden, c. 1751.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Stockholm.
Stockholm held the Swedish court and the House of Nobility, where every noble family's arms were entered and kept. Families ennobled for service registered there, which is why so many are recorded around the city.
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 Sweden in this period.
Frederick I of Sweden
Sovereign of the period
Frederick I of Sweden
1720–1751
Reigning in Sweden when the Groth arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Sweden
In Sweden, a coat of arms belonged to a noble family as a whole rather than just one individual. These arms were passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants. Younger branches of the family used the same shield without needing to change it. This system ensured that the entire lineage shared the same identity and status under the law.
Granting authority
The Riddarhuset, or House of Nobility, regulated all noble coats of arms in Sweden under royal authority.
How they got arms
Families received their coats of arms through royal grants of nobility which were then officially registered with the House.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Swedish House of Nobility register starting in the year 1626.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Sweden.
Origin & History of the Groth Family in Sweden
The family name Groth is deeply rooted in the linguistic traditions of Northern Europe, where it likely originated as a descriptive nickname. In Middle Low German, the word "grot" translates to "large" or "great," which suggests that the name was originally used to identify a person of significant stature or importance within their community. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a notable presence in Stockholm, as evidenced by records from 1751. During this era, Stockholm was a bustling center of trade and administration, and families like the Groths were often integrated into the city’s growing professional and merchant classes. This transition from a simple descriptive nickname to a formal surname reflects the broader movement of families settling into urban environments and solidifying their identities within the social fabric of Sweden.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grot
Middle Low German term for large or great.
This name
GrothA topographic or descriptive name referring to a person of large stature.
also spelled
Groth
Grot
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Stockholm City Archives (Stockholms stadsarkiv), Överståthållarämbetet för uppbördsärenden
National Archives of Sweden (Riksarkivet), Mantalslängder 1642–1820
Brylla, Eva, Förnamn i Sverige: kortfattat namnlexikon, 2004
Hellquist, Elof, Svensk etymologisk ordbok, 1922
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lionCourage, strength and royalty
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
palm treeVictory, and righteousness that flourishes
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
