Map of Germany showing where the Spalt arms are recorded
The Spalt arms were recorded in Nuremberg, 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 Spalt 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 Spalt Family in Germany
The family name Spalt is a topographic surname, meaning it likely originated from a specific geographic location rather than a profession or a personal trait. The name is directly linked to the town of Spalt, which is located in the Middle Franconia region of Bavaria. In the German language, the word "spalt" refers to a split, a gap, or a ravine, suggesting that the original ancestors lived near a distinct geological feature or a cleft in the landscape. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the family had established themselves in the nearby imperial city of Nuremberg. During this period, Nuremberg was a major center for trade and craftsmanship, and families often migrated from surrounding rural areas to the city to pursue new economic opportunities. The presence of the Spalt family in Nuremberg by 1765 indicates they were part of this urban growth, transitioning from their ancestral roots in the Franconian countryside to the bustling commercial life of one of Germany's most important historical cities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
spaltan
To split, cleave, or divide into parts.
This name
SpaltA topographic name for someone living near a cleft, ravine, or a split in the land.
also spelled
Spaltere
Spalterr
Spalt
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 Nürnberg, Bürgerbücher der Reichsstadt Nürnberg, 1765
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1971
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