A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gruenewald family of Germany.
Reg. 5311 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à deux arbres de sin., terrassés du même; à la fasce d'arg., ch. de trois roses de gu. et br. sur le tout. Cq. cour. C.: un arbre de sin., entre un vol d'or, chaque aile ch. de la fasce de l'écu. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
SaxonySaxony, c. 1765
Where the Gruenewald Arms Were Recorded
Saxony
Map of Germany showing where the Gruenewald arms are recorded
The Gruenewald arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1765.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often 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 Gruenewald 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 Saxony.
Origin & History of the Gruenewald Family in Germany
The surname Gruenewald is a topographic name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe. It translates literally to "green forest," suggesting that the earliest members of the family likely lived near or worked within a lush, wooded area. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a documented presence in the region of Saxony. During this era, life in Saxony was deeply connected to the land and the local agricultural economy, which explains why many families adopted names based on their natural surroundings. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the Saxon countryside, contributing to the local traditions and labor systems that defined rural life in 1765. This name served as a way to identify their ancestral home and their connection to the dense forests that characterized the German landscape at the time.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grün Wald
Green forest or verdant woodland area.
This name
GruenewaldRefers to a person who lived near or worked in a green forest.
also spelled
Gruenewald
Grunewalt
Grunewaldt
Grunevald
Greenevald
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche Sachsens, 1765
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
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
