A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Halberstadt family of Germany.
Reg. 6766 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à un croiss. tourné d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: un croiss. montant d'arg., sommé d'une queue de paon au nat.”
Germanyc. 1725
Where the Halberstadt Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Halberstadt arms are recorded
The Halberstadt 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 Halberstadt 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 Halberstadt Family in Germany
The family name Halberstadt is a locative surname, meaning it was originally derived from the name of a specific place. Historical records confirm that the family was well-established in the region of Bavaria by 1725, though the name itself originates from the town of Halberstadt located in the northern Harz region of Germany. During the medieval period, it was common for individuals who moved away from their hometown to be identified by their place of origin, which eventually became a permanent family name. As these families migrated south into areas like Bavaria, they carried this geographic identifier with them as a way to maintain a connection to their ancestral roots. Over time, the name became a fixed hereditary title passed down through generations, marking the family as part of a long tradition of movement and settlement across the German states.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Halberstadt
A town in Saxony-Anhalt derived from halber meaning half and stadt meaning city.
This name
HalberstadtRefers to a person who originated from the city of Halberstadt in Germany.
also spelled
Halberstat
Halberstade
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
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
