A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grundner family of Germany.
Reg. 1592 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'arg. à un senestrochère, arm. d'azur, gantelé du même, tenant une épée du premier et une croix de Lorraine de gu.; aux 2 et 3 d'or à une tour de gu., posée sur un tertre de sin. Cq. cour. C.: les meubles du 2, entre un vol coupé, à dextre d'arg. sur azur, à sen. de gu. sur or. L. conformes aux émaux du vol.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
Where the Grundner Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Grundner arms are recorded
The Grundner arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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 Grundner 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Grundner Family in Germany
The surname Grundner is a classic example of a topographic name, which was common in the German-speaking regions of Europe during the eighteenth century. It originates from the Middle High German word "grunt," meaning ground, floor, or valley. People who lived in a low-lying area or a specific valley were often identified by their neighbors as belonging to the "Grund." Over time, the suffix "-ner" was added to indicate a person who lived in or managed that specific piece of land. By 1765, records show that families bearing this name were well-established in the rural landscapes of Bavaria. These early family members were likely farmers or landholders who were deeply connected to the geography of their local parishes. Because the name is tied to the physical features of the earth, it suggests that the original ancestors were settlers who built their lives in the fertile valleys of the Bavarian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grund
A piece of land, soil, or the bottom of a valley.
This name
GrundnerAn inhabitant or owner of a plot of land or valley floor.
also spelled
Groondner
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
Kohlheim, Rosa and Volker Kohlheim, Duden Familiennamen: Herkunft und Bedeutung von 20.000 Nachnamen, 2005
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
