A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Schantz family of Germany.
Reg. 9594 · German, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'arg. à une colombe de sa., tenant en son bec un annelet d'or et perché sur un chicot au nat. en fasce. Cq. cour. C.: un panache de trois pl. d'aut. de sa., l'une sur l'autre, accosté de deux autres panaches de trois pl. d'aut. d'arg., l'un sur l'autre [La branche de Finlande, an. le 4 janv. 1693, porte les mêmes armes, augmentées d'un chef d'azur.]”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Schantz arms are recorded
The Schantz arms were recorded in Franconia, c. 1765.
Franconia was a patchwork of small territories in central Germany, full of minor landowners and prosperous market towns. So many separate households held land there that the region produced a great many coats of 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 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 Schantz 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 Franconia.
Origin & History of the Schantz Family in Germany
The family name Schantz originates from the German word *Schanze*, which historically referred to a defensive earthwork, a trench, or a fortification. During the Middle Ages, this name was often given as a descriptive occupational surname to individuals who worked on building these defensive structures or to those who lived near such sites. By 1765, records confirm that the Schantz family had established a firm presence in the Franconia region of Germany. At that time, Franconia was a collection of territories within the Holy Roman Empire, and families living there were typically involved in agriculture, craftsmanship, or trade. As the family grew, members likely moved between the small villages and towns of the region to find work, helping to spread the name throughout the local landscape during the eighteenth century.
Schantz Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Schanze
A defensive fortification, earthwork, or trench.
This name
SchantzA topographic name for someone who lived near a defensive fortification or earthwork.
also spelled
Schans
Shantz
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
State Archives of Bavaria (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv), General-Landes-Archivalien
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
