A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Guterman family of Germany.
Reg. 8616 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
knightChivalry and service in arms
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 de gu. à un chevalier, la visière levée, le casque panaché, tenant une épée, le tout au nat., posé sur un tertre de sin.; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à un drapeau d'or, attaché à une lance de tournoi du même et ch. d'une aigle ép. de sa. Sur le tout d'or à l'aigle ép. de sa. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1° l'homme d'armes, iss.; l. d'arg. et d'azur; 2° le drapeau; l. d'or et de sa. S.: deux castors, au nat.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1741
Where the Guterman Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Guterman arms are recorded
The Guterman arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1741.
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.
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 Guterman Family in Germany
The surname Guterman is rooted in the German language, where it combines the words for good and man. This name likely began as a descriptive nickname for a person known for their kind nature or reliable character within their community. By the year 1741, records confirm that members of the Guterman family were well established in the region of Bavaria. During this period, families in southern Germany often lived in small, tight-knit villages where they worked as farmers or skilled craftspeople. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the agricultural and economic life of the Bavarian countryside. Because surnames were becoming more permanent during the eighteenth century, the name Guterman served as a way to identify the family line as they moved through the generations in this historic German state.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Guter Mann
Germanic terms for good and man or person.
This name
GutermanAn occupational or descriptive name for a person considered to be kind or virtuous.
also spelled
Guterman
Guntershofen
Guterman Edle von Guntershofen
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
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
knightChivalry and service in arms
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
knightChivalry and service in arms
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
