A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Silber family of Germany.
Reg. 5863 · German, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un croiss. tourné d'arg. Cq. cour. C.: deux banderoles d'azur, ch. chacune d'un croiss. d'arg., celui à dextre tourné, celui à sen. cont., les hampes des banderoles passées en saut.; entre un vol d'arg.”
HesseHesse, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Silber arms are recorded
The Silber arms were recorded in Hesse, c. 1765.
Hesse was central German country, divided among a large number of small landowners and prosperous towns. So many separate households held ground there that the region produced an unusual number of 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 Silber 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 Hesse.
Origin & History of the Silber Family in Germany
The surname Silber is a German occupational name that translates directly to the word silver. In the context of the eighteenth century, this name likely identified an ancestor who worked as a silversmith, a dealer in precious metals, or perhaps someone who possessed a distinctively fair or silver-colored complexion. By 1765, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the region of Hesse. During this era, life in Hesse was defined by small agricultural communities and local craftsmanship, where families often stayed in the same villages for generations. Because the name is tied to a specific trade or physical trait, it suggests that the early Silber ancestors were integrated into the local economy as skilled workers who played a vital role in the social fabric of their Hessian home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
silbar
Old High German term for the precious metal silver.
This name
SilberAn occupational name for a silversmith or a descriptive name for someone with silver-colored hair.
also spelled
Sylber
Silver
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
Hessisches Landesarchiv, Personenstandsregister der hessischen Gemeinden, 1765
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: 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.
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
