Map of Germany showing where the Seifried arms are recorded
The Seifried arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1789.
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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Seifried 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Seifried Family in Germany
The surname Seifried originates from the Old High German name Sigifrid, which combines the words for victory and peace. During the late 18th century, families carrying this name were well-established in the Bavarian region of Germany. At this time, Bavaria was a complex landscape of agricultural communities and small towns where surnames often identified a person’s trade or their ancestral roots. By 1789, the Seifried family was part of a society deeply influenced by the traditions of the Holy Roman Empire and the local customs of the Bavarian electorate. These early family members likely lived as farmers or skilled craftsmen, contributing to the local economy and the social fabric of their villages. As the region underwent significant political changes during the late 1700s, the Seifried name remained a consistent identifier for families living in the rural heartland of Southern Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Sigi-frid
Derived from Old High German words for victory and peace.
This name
SeifriedA name signifying one who brings peace through victory.
also spelled
Seyfried
Seifrid
Sifreed
Related arms
Seyfriedvariant 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
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
