A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Schefter family of Austria.
Reg. 0353 · Austrian, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'or à une tour, adextrée et senestrée d'un avant-mur, le tout au nat., posé sur une terrasse de sin.; au 2 d'azur à une étoile d'or; au 3 d'or à la fasce ondée d'azur. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1° un vol cont. coupé alt. d'or et d'azur; 2° un lion iss. d'or, lamp. de gu., tenant un sabre d'arg., garni d'or. L. d'or et d'azur.”
AustriaCroatie, c. 1856
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Map of Austria showing where the Schefter arms are recorded
The Schefter arms were recorded in Croatie, c. 1856.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families 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.
Region
Tyrol
Town
Croatie
First recorded
1856
Granting Authority for the Schefter Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Sovereign of the period
Franz Joseph I of Austria
1848–1916
Reigning in Austria when the Schefter arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Schefter Family in Austria
The family name Schefter is deeply rooted in the Alpine traditions of the Tyrol region, where historical records confirm the presence of the family as early as 1856. The name itself is likely derived from the Middle High German word "scheften," which relates to the craft of making shafts for tools or weapons. This suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely skilled woodworkers or craftsmen who lived in the rugged mountain valleys. Life in nineteenth-century Tyrol was defined by close-knit village communities and a strong reliance on local trade and agriculture. As these families settled in the region, they became part of a distinct cultural landscape that blended Germanic and Italian influences. Over time, the name became a marker of their identity as they navigated the social and economic changes occurring within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Schäfer
A person who herds or tends to sheep.
This name
SchefterAn occupational surname for a shepherd or someone who managed a flock of sheep.
also spelled
Schiftar
Shifter
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tiroler Landesarchiv, Zivilstandsregister der Pfarreien in Tirol (1856)
Kranzmayer, Eberhard, Ortsnamenbuch von Kärnten (1956)
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich (1903)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
