Map of Austria showing where the Holifield arms are recorded
The Holifield arms were recorded in Galicia, c. 1772.
Galicia was eastern country of large estates and small farming villages, held by families who had been there for a very long time. Land was what entitled a family to arms, and land there rarely changed hands.
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.
Region
Galicia
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Holifield Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Holifield arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Galicia.
Origin & History of the Holifield Family in Austria
The family name Holifield carries a history rooted in the complex migrations of Central Europe. By the year 1772, records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Galicia, which was then part of the Austrian Empire following the First Partition of Poland. During this era, families in Galicia often lived in agricultural communities that were undergoing significant political and social transitions. The name likely evolved as a phonetic adaptation of local surnames as families moved across borders or integrated into new administrative systems. These early ancestors were part of a diverse population that navigated the shifting boundaries of the Habsburg monarchy, eventually leading to the spread of the name into broader European and international contexts.
Holifield Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Holzfeld
German for wood or timber field.
This name
HolifieldAn occupational or topographical name referring to someone who lived near a wooded field.
also spelled
Holfelder
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Davies, Norman, God's Playground: A History of Poland, 1981
Magocsi, Paul Robert, Galicia: A Historical Survey and Bibliographic Guide, 1983
Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine in Lviv, Fond 146: Galician Viceroyalty Records
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