A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Pfeiff family of Sweden.
Reg. 5157 · Swedish, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à un cerf naiss. et pass. au nat., mouv. du parti; au 2 de gu. à un sauvage de carn., ceint et cour. de lierre, tenant une massue posée sur son épaule. L'écu entouré d'une bord. d'arg., ch. de quatorze roses de gu. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1° un cerf iss. au nat., entre deux bannières d'arg.; 2° une tour d'arg., surm. de trois étoiles (5) d'or, et accostée de deux pl. d'aut., d'azur et de gu. S.: à dextre un lion reg. d'or, lamp. de gu.; à sen. un cheval reg. d'arg.”
Swedenc. 1772
Where the Pfeiff Arms Were Recorded
Stockholm
Map of Sweden showing where the Pfeiff arms are recorded
The Pfeiff arms were recorded in Sweden, c. 1772.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Stockholm.
Stockholm held the Swedish court and the House of Nobility, where every noble family's arms were entered and kept. Families ennobled for service registered there, which is why so many are recorded around the city.
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 Sweden in this period.
Gustav III of Sweden
Sovereign of the period
Gustav III of Sweden
1771–1792
Reigning in Sweden when the Pfeiff arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Sweden
In Sweden, a coat of arms belonged to a noble family as a whole rather than just one individual. These arms were passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants. Younger branches of the family used the same shield without needing to change it. This system ensured that the entire lineage shared the same identity and status under the law.
Granting authority
The Riddarhuset, or House of Nobility, regulated all noble coats of arms in Sweden under royal authority.
How they got arms
Families received their coats of arms through royal grants of nobility which were then officially registered with the House.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Swedish House of Nobility register starting in the year 1626.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Sweden.
Origin & History of the Pfeiff Family in Sweden
The family name Pfeiff has deep roots in Northern Europe, with historical records confirming the family’s presence in Stockholm by 1772. The name itself is derived from the Middle High German word pfif, which translates to a whistle or a pipe. During the medieval period, such names were often occupational nicknames given to individuals who played musical instruments or perhaps worked as pipe makers. As the family moved into the Swedish capital during the eighteenth century, they integrated into the urban professional class of the time. By this era, the name had become a stable identifier for a lineage that participated in the social and economic life of Stockholm. This transition from a descriptive nickname to a formal family name reflects the broader patterns of how surnames evolved as families settled into permanent city communities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pfeife
A German word meaning a pipe or a flute instrument.
This name
PfeiffAn occupational surname originally referring to a person who played the flute or pipe.
also spelled
Pfeif
Pfyf
Fyf
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Elgenstierna, Gustaf, Den introducerade svenska adelns ättartavlor, 1930
Stockholm City Archives (Stockholms stadsarkiv), Överståthållarämbetet för uppbördsärenden, 1772
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
knightChivalry and service in arms
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
knightChivalry and service in arms
