Map of Germany showing where the Klocke arms are recorded
The Klocke arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Klocke 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 Klocke Family in Germany
The family name Klocke is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Germanic regions, where it likely originated as a descriptive occupational surname. In Middle Low German, the term "klocke" or "kloke" was often associated with individuals who worked as bell ringers or those who lived near a clock tower in a village square. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Bavarian region. During this period, Bavaria was a collection of territories undergoing significant social and agricultural changes, and families like the Klockes were typically involved in local trade or farming. As the name spread through these communities, it became a fixed identifier for families who played essential roles in the daily organization and religious life of their parishes.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Glocke
A bell or a metal vessel used for ringing.
This name
KlockeAn occupational name for a bell maker or a bell ringer.
also spelled
Klock
Clocke
Klocken
Related arms
Klockvariant spelling
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 Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
bellA call to prayer, and a warning given
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
bellA call to prayer, and a warning given
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
