A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Leitner family of Germany.
Reg. 4384 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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'or au lion de gu., soutenu d'un tertre de sin.; le champ chapé-ployé d'azur, à deux fleurs-de-lis d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: le lion, entre un vol, coupé alt. d'or et d'azur. L. d'or et d'azur.”
MecklenburgMecklenburg, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Leitner arms are recorded
The Leitner arms were recorded in Mecklenburg, c. 1765.
Mecklenburg was farming country in the north of Germany, held by a small number of families who kept their estates for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so a great many Mecklenburg names ended up 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 Leitner 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 Mecklenburg.
Origin & History of the Leitner Family in Germany
The surname Leitner is a topographic name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe. It is derived from the Middle High German word "leiten," which refers to a mountain slope or a hillside. Historically, the name was given to families who lived on or cultivated land situated on a slope. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the region of Mecklenburg. Records from 1765 confirm that members of the Leitner family were living and working within this northern territory during a period of significant agricultural and social development. As the family settled into these rural communities, the name became a permanent marker of their ancestral connection to the landscape and their role as landholders or workers in the local economy.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Leite
A steep slope or hillside.
This name
LeitnerAn inhabitant or dweller living on or near a steep hillside.
also spelled
Leitener
Leitnar
Litner
Related arms
Leithnervariant 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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
