A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Kote family of Germany.
Reg. 2758 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
skullMortality remembered, and courage in the face of death
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à une tête de mort d'arg., cour. d'or, et une épée d'arg., garnie d'or, en bande, passée par la cavité de l'oeil dextre, et une palme d'or, en barre, passée par la cavité de l'oeil sen. Brl. d'azur et d'arg. C.: un homme iss., hab. de sa., rebr. d'arg., coiffé d'un chapeau pointu de sa. orné de deux plumes, d'or et d'azur, tenant de sa main dextre un livre ouvert, la sen. appuyée sur la garde de son épée. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
GermanySaxe-Altenbourg, c. 1857
Where the Kote Arms Were Recorded
Saxe-Altenbourg
Map of Germany showing where the Kote arms are recorded
The Kote arms were recorded in Saxe-Altenbourg, c. 1857.
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.
Frederick William IV of Prussia
Sovereign of the period
Frederick William IV of Prussia
1840–1861
Reigning in Germany when the Kote arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
Prussian heraldry was strictly tied to social rank and noble status rather than being a free choice for every citizen. These symbols were treated as permanent family property that moved through the generations to all legitimate heirs. If a family branch wanted to change their design to stand out, they had to apply for official permission to alter their specific version of the shield.
Granting authority
The Prussian Heroldsamt acted as the central state office that managed and strictly controlled all noble titles and coats of arms.
How they got arms
Families usually obtained their arms through formal royal grants or by proving their long-standing noble status to the state authorities.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms were kept in the rolls of the Prussian Heroldsamt, which functioned from 1706 until 1918.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Germany.
Origin & History of the Kote Family in Germany
The family name Kote has deep roots in the historical region of Saxe-Altenburg, where records confirm the presence of family members by at least 1857. The name likely originated as a descriptive term or a shortened form of a longer Germanic name, reflecting the naming customs common in central Germany during the medieval period. Families in this area were often tied to the land and local trade, living through the shifting political landscape of the various Saxon duchies. As the region transitioned through the nineteenth century, the Kote family became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the agricultural and civic life of the small towns within the duchy. By maintaining their presence in this specific territory, the early members of the family helped establish a lasting legacy that persisted through the unification of Germany and into the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gode
Derived from the Germanic word for god or good.
This name
KoteA patronymic or occupational name historically associated with individuals serving a deity or possessing good qualities.
also spelled
Koethe
Kethe
Cothe
Kote
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Thüringisches Staatsarchiv Altenburg, Kirchenbücher der Residenzstadt Altenburg
Meyers, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon: Eine Encyklopädie des allgemeinen Wissens, 1885
skullMortality remembered, and courage in the face of death
swordJustice, and military honour
skullMortality remembered, and courage in the face of death
swordJustice, and military honour
