A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Senft family of Germany.
Reg. 0547 · German, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
legStrength and swiftness
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à un membre d'aigle de sa., coupé la cuisse de gu., la griffe en bas. C.: le meuble de l'écu; ou, un homme iss., hab. de sa., cour. d'or, tenant de sa main dextre une masse à picotons du même, la sen. appuyée sur sa hanche. L. d'or et de sa.”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Senft arms are recorded
The Senft arms were recorded in Franconia, c. 1765.
Franconia was a patchwork of small territories in central Germany, full of minor landowners and prosperous market towns. So many separate households held land there that the region produced a great many coats of 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.
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 Senft 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 Franconia.
Origin & History of the Senft Family in Germany
The surname Senft originates from the German language and carries a meaning rooted in character, as the word translates to gentle, mild, or soft. During the eighteenth century, the family established a strong presence in the region of Franconia, which is located in the northern part of modern-day Bavaria. Families in this area during the 1760s were often tied to the land through agriculture or specialized local trades that supported the growing towns. Because surnames were frequently adopted based on personality traits or nicknames, the name likely began as a way to describe an ancestor who was known for a calm or kind temperament. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Franconian village life, contributing to the local economy and community traditions that defined that era of German history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Senft
Derived from the Middle High German word for mustard.
This name
SenftA nickname for a person with a sharp, pungent, or spicy personality.
also spelled
Senft
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Staatsarchiv Bamberg, Kirchenbücher der Pfarreien im Hochstift Bamberg, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
legStrength and swiftness
legStrength and swiftness
