A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Rafter family of Germany.
Reg. 5539 · German, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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'or à la fasce de gu., acc. de trois merlettes de sa., les deux du chef affr. C.: un chicot au nat., iss. d'une haie d'osiers au nat. et sommé d'une merle de sa.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Rafter arms are recorded
The Rafter arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit 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 Rafter 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Rafter Family in Germany
The family name Rafter is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Bavaria, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1765. The name itself is likely occupational or topographic in origin, often linked to the German word *Raffer*, which historically referred to someone who gathered or collected resources. In the rural society of eighteenth-century Bavaria, families were frequently identified by their specific trade or their connection to the local land. As these individuals navigated the social structures of the Holy Roman Empire, they likely worked as farmers, foresters, or tradespeople who utilized the natural resources of the region. Over time, the family name became a permanent marker of their identity, reflecting the practical and industrious nature of their lives in southern Germany long before the modern era of record-keeping became standardized.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Raft
A wooden frame or structure made of beams.
This name
RafterAn occupational surname for a carpenter or someone who worked with timber beams.
also spelled
Kraft
Krafteren
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
