A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ortenberg family of Germany.
Reg. 8608 · German, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'or à la bande brétessée de gu. C.: une tête et col de chien braque de gu., coll. d'or, posée de front (Arm. v. G.)”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
Where the Ortenberg Arms Were Recorded
Westphalia
Map of Germany showing where the Ortenberg arms are recorded
The Ortenberg arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought arms.
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 Ortenberg 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Ortenberg Family in Germany
The family name Ortenberg is a topographic surname, which means it was originally derived from a specific place rather than a trade or personal trait. The name translates literally to "place of the mountain" or "edge of the town," suggesting that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent hill or on the outskirts of a fortified settlement. By 1765, records confirm that the family had established a strong presence in the Westphalia region of Germany. During this period, Westphalia was a landscape defined by small farming communities and growing trade routes, and families often adopted names based on their local geography to distinguish themselves in official parish registers. As these early members settled into the region, the name became a permanent marker of their geographic origins and their integration into the local social fabric of the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ort and Berg
Place or point and mountain or hill.
This name
OrtenbergA topographic name denoting someone who lived on a mountain or hill at a specific location.
also spelled
Ortenberk
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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1954
Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen, Kirchenbücher der evangelischen und katholischen Kirchengemeinden Westfalens
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
