A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gruenwald family of France.
Reg. 5090 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'arg. à trois arbres de sin., rangés en fasce; au 2 de gu. plein. C.: une branche d'or; entre un vol, coupé alt. d'arg. et de gu. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
FranceStrasbourg, c. 1663
Where the Gruenwald Arms Were Recorded
Strasbourg
Map of France showing where the Gruenwald arms are recorded
The Gruenwald arms were recorded in Strasbourg, c. 1663.
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 France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in France when the Gruenwald arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of France.
Origin & History of the Gruenwald Family in France
The name Gruenwald is a German locative surname that translates literally to green forest. It originated as a descriptive label for families who lived near or worked within a lush, wooded area. By the mid-seventeenth century, the name was well-established in the Alsace region, specifically within the city of Strasbourg. Records confirm that members of the family were active residents there by 1663, a time when Strasbourg served as a vital cultural and commercial crossroads between the German states and France. During this period, families with this name were often integrated into the urban life of the city, working as skilled tradespeople or merchants who benefited from the region's strong economic ties to the Rhine River. Because the name is tied to the natural landscape, it likely emerged independently in several different forest regions across Central Europe before becoming a permanent family identifier in the Strasbourg area.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grünwald
Germanic roots meaning green forest or verdant woodland.
This name
GruenwaldRefers to a person who lived near or worked within a lush, green forest.
also spelled
Gruenwald
Grunwalt
Grunwaldt
Greenwald
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
Archives de la Ville et de l'Eurométropole de Strasbourg, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
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treeLife, endurance and deep roots
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