A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Pfleger family of Austria.
Reg. 0156 · Austrian, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 de sa. à un griffon d'or; au 2 d'or à la bande d'azur, ch. de trois roses du champ. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1° le griffon, iss. et cont.; 1. d'or et de sa.; 2° un vol de sa.; 1. d'or et d'azur.”
Austriac. 1806
Where the Pfleger Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Pfleger arms are recorded
The Pfleger arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1806.
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
1806
Granting Authority for the Pfleger 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 Pfleger 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 Pfleger Family in Austria
The surname Pfleger is rooted in the German language and historically functioned as an occupational title rather than a simple family name. Derived from the Middle High German word *pflegen*, the name originally referred to a person who held a position of care, protection, or administration. In the medieval period, a *Pfleger* was often a steward or a local official appointed to manage a castle, a monastery, or a specific territory on behalf of a noble landowner or the church. By the time the family was documented in the Tyrol region in 1806, the name had transitioned from a job description into a hereditary surname passed down through generations. These early ancestors in the Alpine valleys likely lived in a society where such titles were respected, as the role required a person to oversee legal matters and maintain order within their local community.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pflege
Care, custody, or administration of an office or property.
This name
PflegerAn occupational surname for a caretaker, steward, or administrator of a manor.
also spelled
Pflegerwertenau
Fleger de Wertenau
Pfleger
Wertenau
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Heintze, Albert. Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
