A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hornstein family of Germany.
Reg. 9306 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'azur à une demi-ramure de cerf d'arg., en fasce, courbée en demi-cercle et soutenue d'un tertre d'or. C.: les meubles de l'écu. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
WurttembergWurttemberg, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Hornstein arms are recorded
The Hornstein arms were recorded in Wurttemberg, c. 1765.
Wurttemberg was southern German country of small estates and well-off market towns. Both landowners and leading townsmen kept arms there, so the region carries far more names than its size suggests.
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 Hornstein 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 Wurttemberg.
Origin & History of the Hornstein Family in Germany
The family name Hornstein is a topographic surname, which means it was originally derived from the physical features of the landscape where early ancestors lived. In the German language, the name combines the words for horn and stone, likely referring to a jagged mountain peak or a rocky outcrop shaped like an animal horn. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the Hornstein family were well-established in the region of Württemberg. During this period, the family was deeply integrated into the local social structure of southwestern Germany, where they lived as part of the rural and town-dwelling population. Life in Württemberg at that time was defined by agricultural traditions and the influence of the local duchy, and the family name served as a way to identify individuals based on their ancestral connection to the rugged terrain of the Swabian landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Horn and Stein
Horn refers to a mountain peak and Stein means stone or rock.
This name
HornsteinA topographic name for someone living near a rocky mountain peak or crag.
also spelled
Hornstain Boosmanshowzen
Hornstein
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
Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart, Bestand A 202: Württembergische Regierungsakten, 1765
Kohlheim, Rosa and Volker, Duden Familiennamen: Herkunft und Bedeutung, 2005
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
