A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Rothschilds family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 4100 · German, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Éc.: aux 1 et 4 d'or à la demi-aigle de sa., mouv. du parti; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à un bras de carn., mouv. du parti, tenant cinq flèches d'arg., les pointes en bas. Cq. cour. C.: une aigle de sa. - (Barons autrichiens, 29 sept. 1822.) Éc.: au 1 d'or à l'aigle de sa.; au 2 d'azur à un bras de carn., mouv. du flanc sen., tenant cinq flèches d'arg., les pointes en bas; au 3 comme au 2, le bras mouv. du flanc dextre; au 4 d'or au lion de gu. Sur le tout de gu. à un bouclier ovale d'arg., posé en barre, ayant un nombril au centre. Trois cq. cour. C.: 1º une étoile d'or, entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'or et de sa.; 2º l'aigle; 3º trois pl. d'aut., une d'arg. entre deux d'azur. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa.. à sen. d'arg. et d'azur. S.: à dextre un lion d'or; à sen. une licorne d'arg. D.: CONCORDIA, INTEGRITAS, INDUSTRIA.”
NaplesFrancfort s · Naples, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Rothschilds arms are recorded
The Rothschilds arms were recorded in Naples, c. 1765.
Naples was the largest city in Italy and the seat of a kingdom. Its noble houses were numerous, and the kingdom kept formal lists of the families entitled to arms, which is why so many appear in the records.
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 Rothschilds 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 Naples.
Origin & History of the Rothschilds Family in Germany
The history of the Rothschild family began in the crowded Jewish quarter of Frankfurt, Germany, known as the Judengasse. In the mid-1700s, Mayer Amschel Rothschild lived in a house marked by a red shield, or "zum roten Schild," which eventually became the inspiration for the family name. While the family is famously associated with Frankfurt, their early business reach was already expanding across Europe. Records show that family members were active in Naples by 1765, where they began building the financial networks that would later define their legacy. By working as merchants and money changers in the restrictive environment of the German ghettos, they developed the skills needed to manage the wealth of European nobility. This transition from a small shop in Frankfurt to an international banking dynasty started with these early, careful steps in trade and diplomacy.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Quarterly, 1st, or, an eagle displ. with two heads sa.; 2nd, az. an arm embowed, issuing from the sinister, holding eight arrows counter-crossing each other all ppr.; 3rd, as the 2nd, the arm issuant from the dexter; 4th, or, a lion ramp. gu. over all, on an inescutcheon of pretence, gu. a round pointed target in bend sinister, being the feudal coat of the Lordship of DE ROTHSCHILD”
Englandc. 1620
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Map of England showing where the Rothschilds arms are recorded
The Rothschilds arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them 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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in Germany when the Rothschilds arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Rothschilds Family in England
The history of the Rothschild name in England begins long before the family became famous for international banking. Records show that members of the family were living in the city of York as early as 1620. At this time, they were not yet the wealthy financiers known to history. Instead, they were part of the local community and navigated the social and economic challenges of seventeenth-century England. While the family eventually moved to the continent and built their financial empire from a base in Frankfurt, their early presence in Northern England highlights the deep roots that some families established in the country during the Stuart period. This early chapter remains a fascinating look at how a name can travel across borders and evolve from local origins into a globally recognized symbol of history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Rot Schild
Red shield or sign
This name
RothschildsDerived from a house sign featuring a red shield in Frankfurt's ghetto.
also spelled
Rodschild
Rothchild
Rothshild
Rothschildt
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Ferguson, Niall, The House of Rothschild: Money's Prophets 1798-1848, 1998
Morton, Frederic, The Rothschilds: A Family Portrait, 1962
Archives: Rothschild Archive, London, The Mayer Amschel Rothschild Papers
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
lionCourage, strength and royalty
