A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Mantei family of Germany.
Reg. 0346 · German, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
feathersWilling obedience and serenity
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'arg. à un chevalier, posé de face, arm. de toutes pièces au nat., la visière baissée, le casque cour. et panaché de trois pl. d'aut., de sa., d'arg. et de gu., tenant de sa main dextre une épée levée, la sen. appuyée sur sa hanche. C.: trois pl. d'aut.: de sa., d'arg. et de gu. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1875
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of Germany showing where the Mantei arms are recorded
The Mantei arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1875.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
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.
Wilhelm I
Sovereign of the period
Wilhelm I
1861–1888
Reigning in Germany when the Mantei 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 Mantei Family in Germany
The family name Mantei traces its roots to the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, with a notable presence in Bavaria by the late nineteenth century. The name is often categorized as a topographic or habitational surname, likely derived from the Middle High German term for a cloak or a specific style of mantle, which may have originally served as a nickname for a tailor or a person who wore a distinctive garment. By 1875, families bearing this name were well-established within the social and economic fabric of Bavarian towns, where they participated in the local trades and agricultural life that defined the region during the era of the German Empire. As the population shifted during the industrial expansion of the late 1800s, the Mantei family members became part of the broader movement of people across the German states, carrying their name into new communities while maintaining the cultural traditions of their Bavarian origins.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Manfred
Derived from Germanic elements meaning man and peace.
This name
ManteiA diminutive form of the given name Manfred, signifying a man of peace.
also spelled
Mantei
Mantee
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Generalakten des Staatsministeriums des Innern, 1875
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
knightChivalry and service in arms
feathersWilling obedience and serenity
knightChivalry and service in arms
feathersWilling obedience and serenity
