Map of Germany showing where the Schlein arms are recorded
The Schlein arms were recorded in Ratisbonne, 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 Schlein 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 Schlein Family in Germany
The surname Schlein originates from the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, where it likely functioned as a descriptive nickname or a locational identifier. The name is linguistically linked to the Middle High German word *slīn*, which refers to the blackthorn shrub or the sloe berry. Families bearing this name were often associated with rural areas or lands where these hardy plants grew in abundance. By the mid-eighteenth century, the Schlein family had established a documented presence in Ratisbonne, which is the French name for the historic city of Regensburg in Bavaria. Records from 1765 confirm that members of the family were active residents within this influential trade hub along the Danube River. During this period, Regensburg served as the seat of the Perpetual Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, making it a center of political and economic activity. The family’s integration into such a prominent city suggests they were likely involved in the skilled trades or local commerce that defined the urban life of the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Schleie
A type of freshwater fish known as the tench.
This name
SchleinA nickname for a person who was slippery, elusive, or resembled a tench fish.
also spelled
Shlain
Schlain
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 Regensburg, Bürgeraufnahme- und Zunftprotokolle, 1765
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fishA true and generous mind, and Christian faith
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fishA true and generous mind, and Christian faith
