A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Schoenbeck family of Germany.
Reg. 5705 · German, 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
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Coupé: d'un parti d'azur et d'arg. à deux fleurs-de-lis de l'un à l'autre, sur une mer au nat. et une terrasse de sin. en p. A la fasce d'or, br. sur le coupé. Cq. cour. C.: une fleur-de-lis partie d'arg. et d'azur; entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'azur et d'arg. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1686
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Map of Germany showing where the Schoenbeck arms are recorded
The Schoenbeck arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1686.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in the registers.
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.
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
1658–1705
Reigning in Germany when the Schoenbeck 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 Schoenbeck Family in Germany
The surname Schoenbeck originates from the German language, where it is a topographic name derived from the words "schön," meaning beautiful, and "beck," meaning a stream or brook. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to adopt the name likely lived near a picturesque or pleasant waterway. By 1686, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the Bavarian region of Germany. During this period, families often took their names from the specific landscapes they inhabited, which helped distinguish them in growing rural communities. As these individuals moved through the Bavarian countryside, the name became a permanent marker of their family identity and their connection to the local geography.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Schön and Bach
Beautiful or pleasant and a stream or brook.
This name
SchoenbeckRefers to someone who lived near a beautiful stream or brook.
also spelled
Schoenbeck
Schonbek
Shonbeck
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
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
