A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Meringer family of Germany.
Reg. 1060 · German, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé de sa. sur or, au lion coupé d'or sur le sa. et de gu. sur l'or, tenant une flèche de gu., en barre, la pointe en bas. Cq. cour. C.: un lion iss. d'or, tenant la flèche de l'écu. L. d'or et de sa. - Armes mod.: Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de sa. au lion d'or, tenant une flèche du même, en pal, la pointe en bas; aux 2 et 3 d'or à un More iss., hab. de sa., au rabat d'arg., tenant une flèche du même, en barre, la pointe en bas. Cq. cour. C.: un lion assis d'or, posé de front, entre deux prob. coupées, celle à dextre d'or sur sa., celle à sen. de sa. sur arg., ornées chacune dans son embouchure de trois pl. d'aut., d'or, d'arg. et de sa. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et de sa.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
Where the Meringer Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Meringer arms are recorded
The Meringer 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 Meringer 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 Meringer Family in Germany
The family name Meringer originates from the historical region of Bavaria, where the name was tied to the geography of the land. In German naming traditions, a suffix like "er" often indicated that a person was an inhabitant or a native of a specific place. Therefore, the name Meringer likely identified an early ancestor who lived in or came from the town of Mering, located near Augsburg. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within the Bavarian social structure. During this period, most families in the region were deeply connected to the local agricultural economy or specialized trades. The Meringer name persisted as these individuals moved through the rural villages and towns of southern Germany, maintaining their identity through generations of local community life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Mering
A habitational name referring to a person from the town of Mering.
This name
MeringerA topographic or habitational surname denoting someone who originated from the Bavarian town of Mering.
also spelled
Meringer von Baumburg
Meringer
Baumburg
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
lionCourage, strength and royalty
