Map of Germany showing where the Scheel arms are recorded
The Scheel arms were recorded in Nuremberg, c. 1765.
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 Scheel 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 Scheel Family in Germany
The surname Scheel originates from the Middle Low German word "schele," which historically described a person with a squint or a distinctive way of looking at the world. In the medieval period, names often began as nicknames based on physical traits, and this term eventually evolved into a formal family name as populations grew. By 1765, records confirm that the Scheel family was well-established in the city of Nuremberg. During this era, Nuremberg served as a major hub for trade and craftsmanship in the Holy Roman Empire. Families living there were often deeply involved in the city's famous metalworking and merchant guilds. The presence of the Scheel name in such a prominent urban center suggests that early ancestors were likely skilled tradespeople or active participants in the local economy that defined the region during the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Schel
A Middle High German term referring to a squint or cross-eyed person.
This name
ScheelA descriptive nickname originally used to identify someone with a squint or a crooked gaze.
also spelled
Scheele
Schell
Schel
Sheel
Related arms
Schelevariant spelling
Schellvariant spelling
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
Stadtarchiv Nürnberg, Bürgerbücher der Stadt Nürnberg, 1765
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
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crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
