A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grundman family of Germany.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à une verge d'or.”
The Grundman arms were recorded in Silesia, c. 1765.
Silesia was farming country in the east of the German lands, held in large estates by families who stayed put for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so the region fills a good deal of the register.
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.
Reigning in Germany when the Grundman arms are first recorded.
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.
The name Grundman is rooted in the Germanic linguistic tradition, where it functioned as a descriptive occupational or topographical surname. The prefix "Grund" typically refers to low-lying land, a valley, or the foundation of a structure, while the suffix "man" identifies an individual associated with that specific location or trade. By 1765, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the region of Silesia. During this period, Silesia was a vibrant territory under Prussian influence, and families like the Grundmans were often part of the local agrarian or artisan classes who helped shape the rural landscape. As the family moved through these central European territories, the name evolved to reflect their connection to the fertile soil and the specific geographic features of their ancestral home.
A low-lying area, valley floor, or piece of ground.
