Map of Germany showing where the Kempski arms are recorded
The Kempski arms were recorded in Silesia, c. 1765.
Silesia was farming country in the east of the German lands, held in large estates by families who stayed put for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so the region fills a good deal of the register.
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 Kempski 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 Silesia.
Origin & History of the Kempski Family in Germany
The family name Kempski originates from the historical region of Silesia, which was a crossroads of cultures and languages in Central Europe. By 1765, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area, living during a time when the region was transitioning between different political powers. The name itself is likely topographic in nature, derived from the Slavic word "kepa," which refers to a clump of earth, a hillock, or a small island. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name were likely farmers or settlers who lived near a distinct geographical landmark. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric of Silesian villages, contributing to the agricultural and communal life that defined the region during the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Kemp
Derived from the Middle English word for a champion or athlete.
This name
KempskiA topographic or habitational name for someone who lived near a field or open land.
also spelled
Kempsky
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Knie, Johann Georg, Alphabetisch-statistisch-topographische Uebersicht der Dörfer, Flecken, Städte und anderen Orte der königl. Preuss. Provinz Schlesien, 1845
Bahlow, Hans, Schlesisches Namenbuch, 1953
State Archive in Wrocław (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu), Księgi metrykalne i akta stanu cywilnego, 1765
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griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
