Map of Germany showing where the Schemel arms are recorded
The Schemel arms were recorded in Rothenburg Bav, 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 Schemel 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 Schemel Family in Germany
The family name Schemel is rooted in the linguistic traditions of southern Germany, where it likely originated as a descriptive occupational or topographic surname. In the Middle Ages, the word "Schemel" referred to a footstool or a simple bench, suggesting that early ancestors may have been skilled woodworkers, carpenters, or perhaps individuals who lived near a specific landmark known by that name. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family established a documented presence in the historic town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Records confirm that members of the Schemel family were active residents of this walled medieval city by 1765. During this period, Rothenburg was a center of trade and craftsmanship, and families like the Schemels contributed to the local economy and social fabric of the region. Their continued presence in the area reflects the stability of German families who remained in their ancestral towns for generations while navigating the changing political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Schemel
A stool or footstool derived from Middle High German schemel.
This name
SchemelAn occupational name for a maker of stools or a nickname for a short person.
also spelled
Shemel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Stadtarchiv Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bürgerbuch der Stadt Rothenburg ob der Tauber, 1765
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
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.
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
