Map of Germany showing where the Klippenstein arms are recorded
The Klippenstein arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1725.
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.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Germany when the Klippenstein 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 Klippenstein Family in Germany
The surname Klippenstein is a topographic name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically within the historic lands of Bavaria. The name is composed of two distinct parts: "Klippe," which refers to a steep cliff or a rocky crag, and "Stein," which means stone. This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent rock formation or a mountainous area. By 1725, records indicate that families bearing this name were well-established in the Bavarian countryside. During this period, the Klippenstein family was part of the agrarian society that shaped the region. They were often tied to the land, working as farmers or tradespeople in small villages nestled among the foothills. As the family grew, their name served as a permanent reminder of the rugged landscape that defined their early home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Klippe and Stein
A steep rock or cliff and a stone or rock.
This name
KlippensteinRefers to someone who lived near a rocky cliff or a stony outcrop.
also spelled
Lyppenstein
Lippensteyn
Lippensteinne
Lipenstein
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der Pfarreien in Bayern, 1725
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1954
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