A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Krah family of Germany.
ravenConstancy and divine providenceJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à une corneille au nat., le vol levé. C.: la corneille.”
The Krah arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1765.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often 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.
Reigning in Germany when the Krah arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Krah is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Saxony, where family members were documented as early as 1765. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname derived from the Middle High German word "krā," which refers to a crow. In medieval naming traditions, such names were often assigned to individuals based on their physical appearance, a loud or distinct voice, or perhaps a notable personality trait. By the mid-18th century, the Krah family was well-established within the social and agricultural structures of the Saxon region. During this period, families often lived in tight-knit rural communities where surnames served as essential markers for tax records, church registrations, and local census data. As the family grew, these records helped preserve their identity across generations, anchoring the Krah name firmly within the cultural history of eastern Germany.
Middle High German word for a crow or raven.
