Map of Austria showing where the Pelzel arms are recorded
The Pelzel arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1804.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried 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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1804
Granting Authority for the Pelzel Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
1792–1806
Reigning in Austria when the Pelzel arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Pelzel Family in Austria
The surname Pelzel is deeply rooted in the Alpine regions of Central Europe, with historical records confirming the family’s presence in the Tyrol area by 1804. The name is considered a diminutive form of the Middle High German word "pelz," which translates to fur or pelt. During the medieval period, this name likely functioned as a descriptive nickname for a person who worked as a furrier or someone who wore a distinctive fur-lined garment. As families settled into the mountainous terrain of Tyrol, they often became associated with local trades and agrarian life. The transition from a descriptive nickname to a permanent family name reflects the way many surnames were formed in German-speaking lands as populations grew and record-keeping became more formal. By the time the family was documented in the early nineteenth century, the name had already become a stable identifier for a lineage deeply connected to the social and economic fabric of the Tyrolean landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pelz
A German term referring to fur or a pelt.
This name
PelzelA diminutive or occupational surname for a furrier or someone who wore fur garments.
also spelled
Pelzelpelzeln
Pelzel
Pelzeln
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 Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Tiroler Landesarchiv, Standesbücher (Matriken) der Pfarreien in Tirol, 1804
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
