Map of Germany showing where the Marter arms are recorded
The Marter arms were recorded in Holstein, c. 1765.
Holstein was farming country between the North Sea and the Baltic, held in large estates. The same families kept the same land for generations, and generations of holding is what fills a register.
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 Marter 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 Holstein.
Origin & History of the Marter Family in Germany
The surname Marter has deep roots in the northern region of Holstein, where family members were documented as early as 1765. During this period, Holstein was a territory with a complex political history, often caught between the influences of the Danish crown and the German states. The name likely originated as a topographic or occupational descriptor, which was common practice for families living in rural agricultural communities at the time. Families in this region were often tied to the land and local parish structures, which served as the primary way of tracking births, marriages, and deaths. As the family grew, they likely participated in the traditional trades and farming practices that defined the economy of the duchy. By settling in this specific area, the early Marter family became part of a long tradition of northern European migration and local community building that shaped the identity of the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Mart
Derived from the Latin name Martinus meaning of Mars or warlike.
This name
MarterAn occupational surname for a market trader or someone who lived near a marketplace.
also spelled
Mortier
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Schütze, Johann Friedrich. Holsteinisches Idiotikon: Ein Beitrag zur Volkskunde. 1800
Landesarchiv Schleswig-Holstein. Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirchengemeinden in Holstein. 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
