A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Holbach family of Germany.
Reg. 8773 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Coupé d'azur sur gu.; à trois canettes mal-ordonnées s'ess. d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: un bras, arm. au nat., tenant une épée en fasce. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu. T. à dextre: un homme d'armes au nat.”
GermanyNassau, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Holbach arms are recorded
The Holbach arms were recorded in Nassau, c. 1765.
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 Holbach 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 Holbach Family in Germany
The family name Holbach is rooted in the German language and likely originated as a topographic surname. In the German tradition, names of this type were often derived from a person’s surroundings, with "Hol" referring to a hollow or a wooded valley and "bach" meaning a stream or brook. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name lived near a small stream located in a valley. By 1765, records confirm that members of the Holbach family were established in the region of Nassau. During this period, Nassau was a territory characterized by its rolling hills and river valleys, which aligns perfectly with the descriptive nature of the name. Families in this area were often tied to the land through farming or local trades, and the name served as a way to identify individuals by their specific place of residence within the community.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Holz-Bach
Wood or forest and a flowing stream or brook.
This name
HolbachA topographic name for someone who lived by a stream flowing through a forest.
also spelled
Holback
Holbak
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
Hessisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Bestand 171: Nassauische Ämter, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
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