A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Lyman family of Germany.
Reg. 3233 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 d'arg. à trois los. accolées de gu., touchant les bords de l'écu; au 2 de gu. à deux los. accolées d'arg., touchant les bords. C.: un chapeau piramidal de gu., retr. d'arg. à trois los. accolées de gu., sommé d'une boule d'or, supp. trois pl. d'aut., une d'arg. entre deux de gu.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Lyman arms are recorded
The Lyman arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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 Lyman 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Lyman Family in Germany
The surname Lyman has deep roots in the Germanic regions of Europe, particularly within the historical landscape of Bavaria. By the middle of the eighteenth century, members of the family were well-established in this area, living through a time of significant social and agricultural change. The name itself is often associated with the Old High German word *liut*, which refers to the common people or the folk. This suggests that the earliest ancestors who carried the name were likely recognized for their role within their local community or their status as free men. As the family grew in Bavaria during the 1760s, they participated in the typical life of the region, which was defined by village traditions, local trade, and the rhythms of the farming seasons. Over time, the family name became a permanent marker of their heritage, reflecting a long history of resilience and connection to their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
liut
Old High German word meaning people or tribe.
This name
LymanDerived from a topographic name for someone living near a river or a man of the people.
also spelled
Leiman
Leymann
Leimann
Layman
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
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
