A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Michael family of Germany.
Reg. 0961 · German, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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'azur à un Saint-Michel d'arg., foulant aux pieds un dragon d'arg. et perçant son corps d'une lance de sa. en barre, croisée à la partie supérieure. Cq. cour. C.: le Saint-Michel, iss., entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'arg. et d'azur.”
SaxonySaxony, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Michael arms are recorded
The Michael arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1765.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often 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 Michael 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 Saxony.
Origin & History of the Michael Family in Germany
The name Michael originates from the Hebrew name Mikha'el, which translates to "Who is like God?" As a given name, it gained widespread popularity across Europe during the Middle Ages due to the veneration of the Archangel Michael. By the mid-18th century, the name transitioned from a strictly religious identifier into a hereditary surname as families began adopting permanent last names for tax and census purposes. Records confirm that members of the Michael family were established in the region of Saxony by 1765. During this period, Saxony was a center of agricultural and industrial growth within the Holy Roman Empire, and families often settled in specific villages where they maintained local land records. These early ancestors likely lived as farmers or tradespeople, contributing to the cultural and economic life of the German states before the major political shifts of the 19th century.
Michael Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Mikha'el
Who is like God?
This name
MichaelA Hebrew name signifying a rhetorical question implying that no one is equal to God.
also spelled
Mychael
Mitchell
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
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche Sachsens, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
