Map of Germany showing where the Reinstein arms are recorded
The Reinstein arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1725.
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.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Germany when the Reinstein 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 Reinstein Family in Germany
The name Reinstein is a topographical surname that originated in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe. It is composed of two German words, "rein," which can mean pure or clean, and "stein," which means stone. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to adopt the name likely lived near a prominent stone landmark, a rocky outcrop, or a fortified stone structure. By 1725, records confirm that members of the Reinstein family were established in Bavaria. During this period, families in the region were often deeply connected to the local landscape and the agricultural economy of the Bavarian countryside. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of their local villages, living through a time of significant transition in German history as the region moved toward the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Rein + Stein
Pure or advice combined with stone or rock.
This name
ReinsteinA topographic name for someone living near a prominent or pure stone landmark.
also spelled
Reynstein
Reinsteen
Rinstine
Rinstein
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
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
