A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Klass family of Germany.
Reg. 5742 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
pelicanSelf-sacrifice and devotion to one's children
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 d'arg. au lion de gu., celui du 1 cont.; au 2 d'arg. à une tête et col d'aigle de sa., bq. et cour. d'or; au 3 d'azur à un pélican avec ses petits, d'arg., sur un tertre de sin. L'écu bordé d'or. Cq. cour. C.: une Fortune, tenant le voile au-dessus de sa tête et posée sur une boule, le tout au nat.; entre un vol, d'azur et de gu. L. d'arg., d'azur et de sa.”
Germanyc. 1786
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of Germany showing where the Klass arms are recorded
The Klass arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1786.
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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Klass 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 Klass Family in Germany
The family name Klass is a shortened form of the name Nikolaus, which was a very popular given name in German-speaking regions during the Middle Ages. Because people often used the first syllable of their name as a nickname, Klass emerged as a common way to identify individuals in local communities. By the time your ancestors were living in Bavaria in 1786, the name had become a stable surname passed down through generations. Families with this name were often involved in agriculture or skilled trades, which were the primary ways of life in the Bavarian countryside during the late eighteenth century. As record-keeping became more formal in the region, the name was consistently documented in parish registers and local tax lists, reflecting the family's integration into the social and economic structure of the Bavarian state.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Nicolaus
Victory of the people derived from Greek words for victory and people.
This name
KlassA German patronymic surname originating as a short form of the name Nicholas.
also spelled
Klasss
Klasse
Klas
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kurbayern Hofkammer, Steuer- und Rechnungsunterlagen, 1786
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
lionCourage, strength and royalty
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
pelicanSelf-sacrifice and devotion to one's children
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
pelicanSelf-sacrifice and devotion to one's children
