A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Reigel family of Germany.
Reg. 4650 · German, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'arg. à une émanche de trois pièces de gu., mouv. du flanc dextre. C.: une croisette au pied fiché d'arg., sommée d'une fleur-de-lis du même; entre deux prob. de gu. - Ou: De gu. à une émanche de trois pièces d'arg., mouv. du flanc dextre. C.: un lion iss. d'arg., cour. d'or, senestré d'un demi-vol de sa. et tenant entre ses pattes une feuille de scie de quatre dents de gu., en pal.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Reigel arms are recorded
The Reigel 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 Reigel 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 Reigel Family in Germany
The family name Reigel originates from the historic region of Bavaria, where the family was well-established by the mid-eighteenth century. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "rigel," which refers to a bolt, a bar, or a crossbeam used for security. Historically, this suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a fortified gate, a wooden barrier, or a boundary marker that defined a specific piece of land. By 1765, families bearing this name were integrated into the local Bavarian social structure, often working as skilled tradespeople or farmers who maintained the rural landscapes of the region. As the family grew, they became part of the local parish communities, where their names were carefully recorded in church registers to track births, marriages, and deaths. These early generations helped shape the cultural identity of their villages through their daily labor and their contributions to the local economy.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Riegel
A bar, bolt, or latch used for fastening doors or gates.
This name
ReigelAn occupational name for a gatekeeper or someone living near a fortified barrier.
also spelled
Riegel
Reegel
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der katholischen Pfarreien in Bayern, 1765
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
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