A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Langel family of Germany.
Reg. 6564 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'or à la fasce brét. et c.-brét. de gu., acc. en chef à dextre d'une tête de More, couverte d'une toile d'arg. C.: la tête de More, coll. de la fasce de l'écu.”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Langel arms are recorded
The Langel arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought arms.
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 Langel 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Langel Family in Germany
The surname Langel is rooted in the historical region of Westphalia, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1765. The name likely originated as a topographic descriptor, derived from the Middle Low German word "lang," meaning long, and a suffix indicating a specific piece of land or a long field. Families in this part of Germany often took their names from the physical features of the farms they worked or the specific geography of their home villages. During the eighteenth century, the Langel family lived within a society defined by agrarian traditions and local parish life. As the family grew, they remained connected to the rural landscapes of Westphalia, where the name served as a link to their ancestral property and their role within the local community.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Lang
An adjective describing someone who is tall or long in stature.
This name
LangelA topographic or descriptive surname referring to a person of tall physical height.
also spelled
Langel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
