A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Reinke family of Germany.
Reg. 2520 · German, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Tiercé en fasce de sa., d'arg. et de gu., l'arg. ch. d'un renard courant de gu. C.: un vol aux armes de l'écu (moins le renard). L.: à dextre d'arg. et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Reinke arms are recorded
The Reinke arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
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 Reinke 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Reinke Family in Germany
The surname Reinke is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a shortened version of the Germanic name Reinhard. In the German language, the suffix "ke" was often added to names as a term of endearment or to signify a younger member of a family. By the time your ancestors were established in Bavaria in 1765, the name had already been in use for several centuries across various German-speaking regions. Families with this name were typically part of the rural or middle-class population, often working as farmers, craftsmen, or tradespeople. Because the name was tied to the popular root name Reinhard, it appeared independently in different areas, meaning that not all people named Reinke share a single common ancestor. During the mid-eighteenth century in Bavaria, your family would have been part of a society deeply influenced by local parish record-keeping, where names were recorded by church officials to track births, marriages, and deaths within the community.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ragin
Old Germanic term meaning counsel or advice.
This name
ReinkeA diminutive form of names like Reinhard, signifying a brave or strong counselor.
also spelled
Reynike
Reineke
Rinike
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
Gottschald, Max. Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung. 1971
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