A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Spiker family of Germany.
Reg. 4731 · German, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 d'arg. à un château sommé d'un dôme et flanqué de deux tours, le tout de gu., maçonné de sa., soutenu du coupé; au 2 d'azur à trois épis effeuillés d'or, posés sur un tertre de trois coupeaux de sin. Brl. de gu., d'or, d'azur et d'arg. C.: une licorne iss. d'arg. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de gu., à sen. d'or et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of Germany showing where the Spiker arms are recorded
The Spiker arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Spiker 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 Spiker Family in Germany
The surname Spiker is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Bavaria, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1765. The name is occupational in origin, likely derived from the Middle High German word *spicher*, which referred to a granary or a storage building for grain. In medieval society, a person responsible for managing these vital storehouses held a position of significant trust and importance within their community. As surnames became more common, families were often identified by the trade or role they performed, and those who oversaw the village grain supplies or lived near such structures eventually adopted the name. Over time, the family members integrated into the local Bavarian economy, contributing to the agricultural and administrative life of the region as they moved through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
spica
Latin term for a point, spike, or ear of grain.
This name
SpikerAn occupational name for a person who worked with grain or a maker of pointed tools.
also spelled
Speichere
Speicherr
Spiker
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
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
