A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gutenberg family of Germany.
Reg. 1779 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. au saut. d'arg., ch. de cinq verres à boire d'azur, posés dans le sens du saut, celui en abime posé en bande. C.: une aigle iss. d'arg.”
Germanyc. 1725
Where the Gutenberg Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Gutenberg arms are recorded
The Gutenberg arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1725.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
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.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Germany when the Gutenberg 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Gutenberg Family in Germany
The family name Gutenberg is deeply rooted in the German-speaking regions of Europe, where it originally functioned as a topographic surname. In the Middle Ages, people often adopted names based on their surroundings, and the name Gutenberg combines the words for "good" and "fortified mountain" or "castle." By the early 18th century, records confirm that members of the Gutenberg family were well-established in Bavaria. During this period, families in the region were often tied to specific trades or agricultural land, and the name helped identify their origins within the local community. As the family grew and moved across different German states, they maintained this connection to their ancestral identity, which served as a link to their history and geographic heritage long before modern record-keeping became standardized.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Guten Berg
Good mountain or productive hill
This name
GutenbergA topographic name for someone who lived near a good or fertile mountain.
also spelled
Gutenburg
Gutenbergh
Related arms
Guotenbergvariant spelling
Guttenbergvariant spelling
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 Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
