A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hornak family of Germany.
Reg. 7414 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
unicornPurity, and extreme courage in defence of honour
Colours
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 fascé d'arg. et d'azur de quatre pièces; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à une licorne ramp. d'arg., accornée d'or, celle du 3 cont. Cq. cour. C.: la licorne du 2, iss.”
Germanyc. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Hornak arms are recorded
The Hornak arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Hornak 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 Hornak Family in Germany
The surname Hornak is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Central Europe, where it likely originated as a descriptive name or a professional identifier. In the context of the Bavarian region during the mid-eighteenth century, families bearing this name were often integrated into the agrarian and craft-based economies that defined the local landscape. By 1765, records indicate that individuals with this name were established members of their communities, participating in the social and religious life of the era. The name itself suggests a connection to the Slavic word for a horn, which may have originally referred to a person who worked with animal horns or someone who lived near a prominent geographical feature shaped like one. As these families navigated the shifting political borders of the Holy Roman Empire, they maintained their identity through local parish registers and land management documents that tracked their contributions to the village economy.
Hornak Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Horn
A pointed projection or a mountain peak.
This name
HornakA topographic name for someone who lived near a mountain spur or horn-shaped piece of land.
also spelled
Hornig
Hornick
Hornik
Hernik
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
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
unicornPurity, and extreme courage in defence of honour
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
unicornPurity, and extreme courage in defence of honour
