A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Kharel family of Germany.
Reg. 1624 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à un homme iss. d'or, tenant deux bâtons, passés en saut. au-dessus de sa tête. C.: un homme iss. d'or, entre deux prob. d'arg. qu'il tient de ses mains.”
SwabiaSwabia, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Kharel arms are recorded
The Kharel arms were recorded in Swabia, c. 1765.
Swabia was broken into a great many small territories in southern Germany, and each had its own landowners and its own leading townsmen. That fragmentation produced an unusual number of families with arms.
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 Kharel 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 Swabia.
Origin & History of the Kharel Family in Germany
The family name Kharel traces its roots back to the historical region of Swabia, where early members were documented as residents in 1765. During the eighteenth century, Swabia was a complex collection of small territories within the Holy Roman Empire, characterized by a strong tradition of craftsmanship and agricultural development. Families living in this area often adopted surnames that reflected their specific trade, their physical traits, or the unique geography of their local village. As the Kharel family established themselves in this environment, they likely participated in the local guild systems or farming communities that defined the social structure of the time. Over the following generations, the family name became a permanent marker of their heritage, serving as a link to their ancestors who navigated the shifting political landscape of central Europe during the late Enlightenment period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Karl
Derived from the Germanic word for a free man.
This name
KharelA topographical or occupational surname referring to a person from a rocky area.
also spelled
Khrell
Khrele
Krel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bader, Karl S., Der deutsche Südwesten in seiner territorialstaatlichen Entwicklung, 1950
State Archive of Baden-Württemberg, Bestand A 206: Kreisarchiv Schwäbisch Hall, 1765
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